Grande Prairie Minute: Issue 63

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

📅 This Week In Grande Prairie: 📅

• There are no meetings at City Hall this week. The next meeting of City Council will take place on Monday, June 16th.
  
  
• The City is beginning its 2026 budget planning and is inviting residents to get involved by sharing feedback, ideas, and budget priorities. The aim is to create a budget aligned with City Council’s 2022–2025 Strategic Priorities, including enhancing quality of life, economic readiness, inclusion, and engagement. Residents can participate through various tools like the Prioritize Tool, Taxpayer Receipt Tool, Open Budget Portal, Idea Space, and a Q&A section. A series of interactive "Engage Grande Prairie" events will run from June 10th to 13th, focusing on different City service areas each day. These include Operational Services, Protective Services, Recreation, and more, culminating in a final session covering all departments. Each event offers a chance to ask questions and share input directly with City staff. If you need the details, visit the City's website or send us an email.
  
  
• The City is also offering two Candidate Information Sessions to assist residents interested in running for the 2025 Municipal Election. The first session, on June 24th, provides an overview of municipal governance, including the role of City Council members, election legislation, and key dates. It aims to help potential candidates understand the responsibilities and time commitments involved. The second session, on August 20th, focuses on municipal budgeting, explaining the budget process and the role of elected officials in financial decisions. Both sessions include presentations and Q&A opportunities, are free to attend, and require pre-registration. More information and registration details are available on the City’s website.
  
  
• Residents in the Swanavon neighbourhood say they’re relieved to see City Council take action on the growing feral rabbit problem. About a dozen residents attended Monday’s meeting, with two formally addressing Council about damage to lawns, gardens, and safety risks caused by deep rabbit holes. Wendy Kempert warned the issue could become city-wide and pointed to Canmore’s past struggles with rabbit overpopulation and disease. She emphasized concerns over holes up to eight inches deep and the spread of rabbits into other areas like Avondale. Another resident said the problem began when two pet rabbits were released and noted the cost of repellents and repairs is adding up. Council has since asked Administration to begin a public education campaign and explore further options to manage the population.
  
  
• St. Catherine Catholic School has received a $5,000 grant through the A+ for Energy program to support an energy-efficiency initiative. The project, titled Energy-Efficient Learning: The Power of E-Readers, will introduce e-readers in Grade 6 classrooms to reduce paper use and energy consumption from printing. Lead teacher Bilyana Coburn says the initiative will also help students learn about carbon footprints and sustainable technologies. The grant is part of a province-wide program delivered by Inside Education, which has awarded nearly $5 million since 2007 to support hands-on energy education in K–12 schools. More than 3,000 Alberta students are expected to begin similar energy projects this September. Organizers say this year’s applications showed strong innovation and enthusiasm for real-world environmental learning across Alberta classrooms.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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