Grande Prairie Minute: Issue 83

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

📅 This Week In Grande Prairie: 📅

• Today, at 3:00 pm, there will be a City Council Organizational Meeting. New Council members will take the Oath of Office. The agenda also includes discussing the Mayor's recommendations for Deputy Mayor Appointments, Standing Committee Appointments, and Board/Committee Appointments for October 2025 - October 2026.
  
  
• Mayor Jackie Clayton says she is honoured and excited to begin another four-year term following her re-election. She expressed gratitude to her supporters and said she looks forward to uniting the new Council to tackle upcoming priorities. Clayton highlighted the need to improve communication with residents, noting that many still feel disconnected from City information. She will be joined by newcomers Jena Flach and Leonard Auger, alongside returning Councillors Wade Pilat, Dylan Bressey, Kevin O’Toole, Grant Berg, Chris Thiessen, and Mike O’Connor. Clayton said she’s eager to hear her colleagues’ goals and begin strategic planning for the term. This marks her fourth term on Council and second full term as Mayor. 
  
  
• Grande Prairie & District Catholic Schools has confirmed its official election results, with three incumbents and three new trustees elected to the board. In Ward 1, the successful candidates were Michelle Boisvert, John Corken, and Natalie Lemay, who received the highest vote totals among a crowded field of contenders. In Ward 2, Erin Smith was elected with 267 votes, defeating Michelle Gemmell. Meanwhile, in the Peace Wapiti Public School Division, incumbent Stefanie Clarke secured re-election for a fourth term in Ward 7, representing the Grande Prairie East and Grovedale area, earning 500 votes to Mark Klemp’s 292. Full election details for both boards are available on their respective websites.
  
  
• The Grande Prairie Public Library is inviting local writers to participate in the 2026 Collins Writing Contest, themed “The Woods.” The long-running contest, which began in the 1980s and was renamed in 2000 to honour local philanthropists Clem and Muriel Collins, encourages creativity across all age groups. Bailey Randolph, Head of Children’s Teen Services, said the contest is a way to celebrate the literary arts and connect the community through storytelling. Writers from the City and County of Grande Prairie, as well as the Municipal District of Greenview, can submit one story of 2,000 words or fewer. Categories range from Grade 1 through adult, and all submissions must be typed and written in English. The deadline to enter is February 28th, 2026, at 11:59 pm. Full contest details are available on the GPPL events calendar.
  
  
• The Sargent Family Kidney Care Centre officially opened at the QEII Hospital in Grande Prairie on October 24th. The $3.9-million facility was funded through $2.4 million from the Province and $1.5 million from the Sargent family. MLA Ron Weibe said the project reflects the government’s commitment to bringing quality health services back to rural Alberta. The new centre includes four kidney health hubs, offering outpatient hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, a diabetic nephropathy prevention clinic, and a new chronic kidney disease clinic. It also features an upgraded reverse osmosis system to produce ultrapure water for treatments. Alberta Kidney Care North’s Andrew Kawan said the expansion increases capacity and convenience for patients across northern Alberta, reducing the need for travel to Edmonton. AHS noted that facilities like this are essential as aging populations and rising diabetes rates increase the demand for kidney care.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

Did you read our coverage of the recent election results?

Click here to learn more about your new Council:

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