Grande Prairie Minute: Issue 68

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

📅 This Week In Grande Prairie: 📅

• On Monday, at 3:00 pm, there will be a meeting of City Council. On the agenda are two items we told you about last week at the Committee stage. Having received Committee approval, they are now heading to full Council for a final decision. First, Council will vote on extending SureCharge Corp.’s lease at Centre 2000 from four years to ten. The longer term is necessary for SureCharge to access federal funding through Natural Resources Canada’s Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program, which would support the installation of two DC fast chargers at no cost to the City. Council will also review and potentially approve the City’s new Urban Forest Strategy - a 20-year plan to manage and expand Grande Prairie’s tree inventory and canopy cover. The strategy focuses on growing and protecting trees through community engagement, Indigenous partnerships, proactive planting in low-canopy areas, and improved risk management. 
  
  
• Council will also hear from the Youth Advisory Council (YAC) who will present their 2024 - 2025 annual report. YAC’s mandate is to link youth perspectives with City Council, committees, and community organizations. Members participated in eight community events, including the Coldest Night of the Year and the Youth Career Discovery Expo, where they hosted a booth to gather feedback from peers. Through the Expo, YAC identified key concerns from local youth: mental health supports, access to sports facilities and funding, education system changes, and expanded transit services. Concerns about substance use in schools and requests for more free public events were also noted. Other activities included unconscious bias training, representation on the Community Knowledge Campus Advisory Committee, and presentations to the Grande Prairie Police Commission. YAC will continue its work in the coming year, with applications for new members due by October 15th.
  
  
• The City's Activity and Reception Centre has a new name: Keyera Place Grande Prairie. The renaming follows a naming rights partnership with oil company Keyera Corp. The 16,000-square-foot centre includes a 12-person meeting room and hosts drop-in programs and youth camps and serves as an emergency reception site when needed. Mayor Jackie Clayton says partnerships like this reflect Grande Prairie’s entrepreneurial spirit and strengthen community ties. Keyera says that the company is proud to support a space that encourages connection, wellness, and growth.
  
  
• The City is reminding residents not to feed wild animals as part of a renewed push to educate the public. With the issue of feral rabbits in Swanavon appearing repeatedly at City Council over the past month, officials say it’s important for residents to know that feeding or leaving food outside for wild animals is not allowed on either private or public land. This includes fruit, vegetables, pellets, or any other food source. If food attracts wildlife, it must be removed or changed within 24 hours. The City says ignoring this rule can lead to fines and contributes to overpopulation, disease spread, and unwanted predators. Bird feeders are allowed if they contain only bird seed and are secured from other wildlife. 
  
  
• The City of Grande Prairie has received a $10,000 grant from Tree Canada’s Community Tree Grants program, supported by CN’s EcoConnexions - From the Ground Up initiative. The funding will go toward creating a new green space at the Community Knowledge Campus, with tree planting scheduled to begin today. The project includes planting 14 large trees and six smaller trees along west Knowledge Way, with the intent to transform a high-traffic area into a greener, more inviting space for students and the public. Tree species such as white spruce, lodgepole pine, scots pine, and northwest poplars have been chosen for their hardiness and visual appeal.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

With people starting to announce their runs for Council, we want to know what you think - is there anyone who has caught your eye as a promising candidate? 

Hit reply and let us know who you’re watching and why!

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

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Having said that, if you are a local business and are interested in being a sponsor, send us an email and we'll talk!