HR Consulting & Employee Benefits for
Alberta Municipalities
Practical HR & Benefits Solutions Built for Alberta Municipalities
Go from juggling growing HR demands to having support that lightens the load
Every week that HR issues go unresolved, motivation plummets and your staff edge closer to leaving. Municipal leaders are expected to manage people issues, compensation, benefits, and risk, without the proper time, data, or internal resources.
That’s where we help.
We provide hands-on HR consulting and employee benefits support for Alberta municipalities, including:
- HR consulting and on-demand support
- Employee benefit plans and Employee Assistance Plans (EAPs)
- Free benefits plan reviews
- Salary surveys, salary grids, and total compensation reviews
- Independent workplace investigations
Our services are designed to
reduce your workload, address issues faster, and help leadership teams move forward with fewer distractions and less risk.
Alberta Municipal Leaders are Facing a Harsh Reality
Your HR challenges are only getting tougher
When I walk into municipal offices across Alberta, I see the same things again and again. Small teams are juggling too much.
Employee engagement is at an all-time low. Complex HR issues are landing on already full desks. Compensation and benefits decisions keep getting delayed because there’s just no time.
These are the challenges most municipalities are dealing with:
- Difficulty attracting and retaining qualified staff
- Benefits and EAP programs that exist, but aren’t used
- Rising employee mental health and burnout concerns
- Outdated salary grids and job descriptions
- Budget pressure from employees, unions, and council
Our services free up your time so you can focus on municipal priorities, service delivery, and planning.
Off-the-Shelf HR Solutions Don’t Work for Alberta Municipalities
What works in the private sector won’t help your municipality
Municipal governance demands a high level of transparency and accountability. Decisions must be objective, defensible, and practical.
You need expertise and strategies that understand council dynamics, unionized environments, public accountability, and Alberta’s municipal labour market.
These are our most popular services with Alberta municipalities:
- Total compensation and salary grid design
- Employee benefits consulting and plan design
- No-cost benefits plan review
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Strategic HR planning
- Staffing solutions and recruitment support
- Workshops and training
What types of HR issues do municipalities typically call you about?
Municipalities, including those with in-house HR, most often contact us regarding benefit plans, employee relations issues, compensation concerns, and situations where leadership needs additional support and a neutral perspective.
Can you help us if we don’t have a dedicated HR department?
Smaller Alberta municipalities can rely on us for experienced HR guidance as needed, without the cost of adding permanent staff.
Are your recommendations practical for municipal environments?
Yes. Our advice is grounded in decades of municipal experience and takes into account governance, council oversight, unionized environments, and budget constraints.
A Proven Approach for Alberta Municipalities
Expert support customized for your priorities and budget
Customized HR & Benefits Solutions
Built around your municipality’s size, workforce, unions, and budget
Competitive Compensation & Salary Surveys
Accurate data to support recruitment, retention, and council decisions
Benefits & EAP Strategy
Helping employees understand and access available supports
On-Demand HR Expertise
Immediate, practical guidance when issues arise
Affordable, Responsive Support
Senior-level expertise without big-firm pricing or complicated contracts
Employee Benefits and EAP for Alberta Municipalities
Affordable benefits that support your municipal teams
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We make sure your benefits work for employees and fit your budget.
Our
free benefits plan review assesses your current plan performance, identifies opportunities to improve value, and highlights areas where spending isn’t delivering meaningful return.
The result is better insight into benefits spend and a program that
supports employees
without adding financial or administrative strain.
Not long ago, an Alberta municipality wanted to test the market, including municipal association plans, to make sure their benefits were competitive. The overwhelmed HR team ended up with a stack of inaccurate quotes and a dreadful sense of uncertainty about which option would hold up over time.
We stepped in to help.
At no cost to the municipality, we
reviewed their claims experience, stress-tested each proposal, and flagged options that seemed cheap but would have high costs later. We translated the numbers into a clear, side-by-side comparison. They ended up with a benefits plan that was easy to manage, financially sustainable, and supported by employees and the union, without extra work or costs.
How do we know if our benefits plan is meeting employee needs?
Common red flags include low utilization, recurring employee questions, or challenges attracting high-calibre candidates. A benefits review helps identify gaps and opportunities for improvement.
Can you give us a second opinion on our benefits plan?
At no cost to you, we provide an objective second opinion on your plan administration, costs, and how claims are handled. We also compare your plan to similar municipalities and association plans to get a clear picture of how competitive and well-managed your benefits truly are.
Can you help us improve EAP usage without increasing costs?
Yes. In many cases, better communication, and not additional spending, improves employee awareness and utilization of EAP services.
Do you work with our existing benefits provider?
We frequently work alongside existing providers to assess plan effectiveness and recommend adjustments where needed.
How do benefits fit into retention and workforce planning?
Benefits play a key role in employee wellbeing, morale, and retention. Aligning them with workforce priorities helps municipalities remain competitive without overspending.
Salary Surveys and Compensation for Alberta Municipalities
Turn pay frustration into compensation people are excited about
Many municipalities don’t know their compensation strategies are falling behind until:
- A key employee resigns
- A role goes unfilled
- A grievance or pay equity concern is raised
CG Hylton Inc. offers Alberta-relevant municipal salary surveys that show where your salary grids and total compensation stand in today’s labour market.
We replace generic benchmarks with clear,
municipal-specific peer comparisons across salary, benefits, and overall compensation, then translate that data into practical, defensible recommendations.
When we updated one client’s salary grid, the immediate feedback was that it made planning much easier for them. The refreshed grid provided a clear, organization-wide view of roles and salary ranges, reducing guesswork and saving significant internal time and headaches. It also provided a reliable reference for budget planning, equity discussions, and future compensation decisions.
When should a municipality outsource a workplace investigation?
Outsourcing is recommended when impartiality may be questioned, when internal HR capacity is limited, or when issues involve senior leadership, long-tenured employees, or potential grievances.
Does using an external investigator help reduce risk?
Yes. Independent investigations demonstrate procedural fairness and due diligence, which reduces legal, labour, and reputational risk for municipalities.
How does outsourcing investigations help smaller municipalities?
Smaller municipalities often face confidentiality challenges and limited internal resources. An external investigator ensures neutrality while minimizing disruption to daily operations.
What types of issues require an external investigation?
Common issues include harassment, bullying, workplace misconduct, respectful workplace violations, and serious employee relations concerns.
Less Time on HR Problems, More Time Focused on Priorities
When HR issues crash onto your desk, it’s never at a convenient moment. They pull your focus away from other priorities and increase the risk of missteps.
Alberta municipalities choose CG Hylton Inc. because we mobilize quickly, simplify complicated situations, and take the pressure off your shoulders.
We provide practical direction you can act on. But most importantly, we are responsive and accessible, so you aren’t left waiting when things are spiralling or decisions need to be made. We answer when you call.
If HR challenges feel overwhelming, we’re ready to help with a listening ear and strategies from people who understand municipal realities.
During our 30-minute call, we’ll review your HR needs and share strategies you can use right away. There’s no obligation, no cost, and tons of value.
FAQS About Working With Us
We’re a smaller municipality — is this still relevant for us?
Absolutely. Many smaller municipalities benefit the most from external HR expertise without the cost of additional staff.
Can you work alongside our existing HR team or providers?
Yes, we can! We complement internal teams and existing relationships; we don’t replace them.
How long do municipalities usually work with you?
Timelines vary by scope, but our approach is always efficient, practical, and minimally disruptive.
Are your services affordable for municipal budgets?
Yes. Our boutique model allows us to deliver senior-level expertise without inflated large-firm pricing.
How do you handle politically or publicly sensitive issues?
With discretion, professionalism, and an understanding of public accountability. Our focus is on reducing risk while supporting fair outcomes.
Are your services aligned with unionized environments?
Yes. We regularly work with municipalities operating under collective agreements and understand the importance of alignment with existing frameworks.