Water and city-regionalism : discourse, power and hidden dynamics

Abstract

Region-based solutions present a promising avenue to water management in water stressed regions by providing increased flexibility. But regional solutions require the messy reworking of networks of power among multiple stakeholders, often leading to power struggles. This research examines the power dynamics of a case study involving 18 municipalities in the Calgary region of Canada called the Calgary Regional Partnership (CRP). In 2005 these municipalities embarked on a major city-region rescaling initiative involving water sharing and land-use planning. However, by 2009 four rural municipalities had left, bifurcating the partnership along urban and rural lines. Discourse analysis is used as a theoretical frame in which to examine power across multiple jurisdictions and scales. The research demonstrates how participants exercised differing degrees of discursive power and influence in the policymaking process. In exposing hidden dynamics, the research enhances our understanding of rescaling processes to improve regional outcomes and assist in solving broader water management problems.