Grande Prairie Minute: New Doctors, Poverty Initiatives, and a Transit Services Open House

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

This Week In Grande Prairie:

• This afternoon, at 2:00 pm, City Council will meet in a closed session. The agenda doesn’t provide much in the way of clues as to what will be discussed. Later in the day, at 3:00 pm, there will be a meeting of City Council that is open to the public. Council will discuss appointing MNP LLP as the auditor for the City of Grande Prairie for a term of 5 years, with the option of two one-year extensions. There will also be a public hearing to address some zoning amendments.
  
  
• Also on the calendar for this afternoon, apparently at the same time as the City Council meeting, is a City Council Organizational Meeting. The agenda includes the 2024-25 Council Meeting Calendar and Member Appointments.
  
  
• The City is hosting a Transit Services Open House today, inviting residents to provide feedback on various aspects of the transit system. Attendees can share input on topics such as routes, schedules, service frequency, safety, fare options, and amenities. Two drop-in events will be held at Teresa Sargent Hall in the Montrose Cultural Centre from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and again from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. All residents, whether regular transit users or not, are encouraged to participate and help shape future improvements.

Last Week In Grande Prairie:

• Grande Prairie gained three new doctors in the third quarter of 2024, bringing the total number of practicing physicians to 165, a 16-doctor increase compared to the same period in 2023. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta reports that Alberta as a whole added 370 doctors in the third quarter and 518 over the past year. In the North Zone, which includes Grande Prairie, there were 588 doctors by the end of September, including 417 specialists and 171 non-specialists - a slight increase from the previous year.
  
  
• There was a water main break at the intersection of 108 Avenue and 102 Street. The cause of the break is still unknown, but it led to the closure of Avondale School and temporary shutdowns for some local businesses. There were also traffic disruptions, including a full closure of the eastbound lane on 108 Avenue and restricted turns at the intersection of 102 Street as a result.
  
  
• The City marked International Day for the Eradication of Poverty with an "Opportunities for All: Tackling Poverty Together" event. The event highlighted the launch of a new bursary program for women pursuing post-secondary education. Funded by the Backman Family Fund through Northwestern Polytechnic, the "Empowering Women, Transforming Futures Fund" aims to help women overcome socio-economic challenges through education. The City is asking residents to explore opportunities to participate in the poverty reduction initiative via its website.