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By Justin Dionne

Local representatives look ahead at 2019

Jan 4, 2019 | 9:34 AM

The new year is here and some of the things we can expect in 2019 are two elections which might affect municipalities throughout Alberta along with the oil and gas industry.

This year has both a Federal and Provincial election on the way and some communities are concerned about what changes might come after the votes are in. 

County of Grande Prairie Reeve Leanne Beaupre says the elections could cause some hiccups for plans in the County. 

“We’re mandated to do a three-year operational budget and a five-year capital budget,” says Beaupre. “But when governments change, their priorities change, their mandates change. So we’re concerned about what’s going to continue and what may end as far as programming and funding.”

Beaupre notes elections can being a pause in community planning and she adds she’s hoping the Province is going to continue investing in its municipalities. 

The Provincial election will take place in the spring, and the Federal election will take place this fall.

The elections are also expected to have an impact on the oil and gas industry, says President of the Grande Prairie Petroleum Association Rob Petrone. 

“It’s going to be an interesting year with the elections,” says Petrone. “It’s critical that over the next while we keep working with government and try to get these pipelines to tidewater and we can start selling on the world market.”

Petrone explains there are more rough patches in store for the oil and gas industry, but it’s currently expecting to improve around fall.

“The first six months are going to be a little trying, I think. But all indications are by the third quarter things are supposed to start turning around again. There were some refineries offline and stuff like that; so we’ll keep watching that and hopefully these margins tighten up and this differential and the oil tightens up a little bit and things keep going.”

Petrone notes while the oil and gas industry is seeing tough times, the area from Fox Creek to Dawson Creek is fortunate to be as busy as it is.

He adds these are strange times for the industry, as there are layoffs as well as a shortage of skilled workers. 

More things to expect in 2019 are lowered property taxes in the city. Mayor Given says residents have been very vocal about how the city needs to focus on taxes.

He explains it’ll be the first time council and administration delivered a property tax decrease, and the City will be working on keeping taxes lower while managing the costs of delivering services.

RCMP Superintendent Don McKenna also shared what to expect in 2019. He says the RCMP’s goal is to make it further away from the number one spot on the Crime Severity Index. 

by Justin Dionne