Grande Prairie Minute: Police Integration, Maskwa Loan, and Festival Funding Requested

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 (private) meeting of City Council. The agenda lists a private report, with the only details being “Advice From Officials”. At 3:00 pm, there will be a public City Council meeting. Council will consider selling some land to Rising Above Ministries Grande Prairie for the purchase price of $1. They will also receive the Youth Advisory Council 2023 Annual Report.
  
  
• The City is considering a new waste management system called Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Introduced by the Alberta Government in October 2022, EPR shifts recycling responsibility from municipalities and taxpayers to product producers. This system would include single-use items and hazardous materials. Currently, recycling services in Grande Prairie are provided by Aquatera Utilities for a monthly fee.
  
  
• Grande Prairie is accepting applications for the Municipal Fee Rebate program. The program offers incentives to developers and property owners who are building or upgrading their properties by reducing or eliminating certain fees that were charged to complete the upgrades. New this year, the program has been expanded to include secondary suites, multi-attached dwellings, and large-scale apartment buildings. The previous $10,000 limit per builder has been abolished.

Last Week In Grande Prairie:

• The Grande Prairie RCMP has integrated two constables from the Grande Prairie Police Service (GPPS) into their frontline teams, marking a significant step in the city's transition towards establishing its own municipal police force. These officers, who completed additional training on RCMP policies and procedures after graduating from GPPS' Experienced Officer Class in late June, will work alongside RCMP members to ensure a smooth and safe transition.
  
  
• Council gave first reading to a bylaw which would authorize a $3.5 million dollar loan to the Maskwa Medical Centre. The loan would see the City borrow the money and then pay the interest costs while Maskwa merely repays the principal of the loan. The Maskwa group has also approached the County of Grande Prairie and the Municipal District of Greenview for similar loans, requiring $10 million between the three municipalities. The Maskwa Medical Centre would go up on vacant land south of the parkade at the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital. It would include a teaching clinic and access to specialists for those with more complex medical needs. Second and Third reading will take place in August so there can be more discussion with the community.
  
  
• Representatives from the Bear Creek Folk Festival appeared in City Hall to answer questions regarding a funding request before Council. The representatives identified three key priority areas within the Festival’s operations that require additional funding - fencing, power, and a new stage. Currently, the festival spends about $15,000 on fuel for diesel generators that power the grounds, and the organizers are hoping for a commitment from the City to improve the electricity in the area. The overall ask is about $1.3 million, but the $282,000 in electrical upgrades were already considered a top priority for Council and so will be included in next year's budget deliberations.