Grande Prairie Minute: Information Sessions, Northern Bursary, and Traffic Signal Maintenance

Grande Prairie Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Grande Prairie politics

This Week In Grande Prairie:

• Today, at 2:30 pm, there will be an in-camera meeting of City Council. At 3:00 pm, there will be a public meeting of City Council. The agenda includes potential sponsorship in the amount of $10,000 towards the 7 Over 70 celebration event, and a public hearing to add “Parking Lot or Building" as a permitted use in the IG-General Industrial District.
  
  
• The City will resume its Traffic Signal Maintenance Program tomorrow. Crews will inspect and upgrade traffic signal infrastructure at the intersections of 108 Avenue and 100 Street, 68 Avenue and 108 Street, and 98 Avenue and 100 Street. During the maintenance, traffic signals will be temporarily offline, with lane closures and speed reductions expected during off-peak hours. Additional work is planned for the spring.
  
  
• The City is hosting two virtual information sessions on January 16th to inform residents about the Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP). The program helps homeowners finance energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades to lower energy costs and promote sustainability. Both sessions will cover how the program works, its benefits, and the application process. The sessions will take place at 9:00 am and 7:00 pm, with pre-registration required to attend.

Last Week In Grande Prairie:

• The Grande Prairie Regional Sport Connection has opened nominations for the 2025 Northwest Alberta Sport Excellence Awards, which recognize the achievements of local athletes and those who support them. The awards will honor accomplishments from January 1st, 2024, to December 31st, 2024. Nominations are open for various categories, including Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Outstanding Official. Nominations are open until January 31st, 2025, and can be submitted online.
  
  
• Recent data from the Alberta substance use surveillance system showed a decline in overdose deaths in Grande Prairie. From January to September 2024, 21 people died from drug poisoning, down from 48 deaths in 2023 and 51 in 2022. The substances linked to these deaths include methamphetamine, cocaine, and non-pharmaceutical opioids, with no deaths attributed to pharmaceuticals or benzodiazepines. EMS calls related to opioids in the city also decreased significantly from 150 in 2023 to 70 in 2024.
  
  
• The Alberta government has announced a second consecutive year of funding increases for the Northern Alberta Development Bursary (NADB) program, raising the total boost to nearly $1.1 million. This funding will allow an additional 50 students to receive up to $11,500 annually to support their post-secondary education. Over its 50-year history, the program has supported more than 7,100 students, strengthening Northern Alberta’s workforce. Applications for NADB surged by 43% in 2024. Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade Matt Jones emphasized the investment’s role in creating a sustainable future for the region.