Photo by Curtis Galbraith

By Curtis Galbraith

City Hall

City Council’s 2021 Advocacy List includes Drug Treatment Court program, Queen’s Bench judge for Grande Prairie

Apr 9, 2021 | 5:30 AM

City council wants to join the effort to bring a Drug Treatment Court program to Grande Prairie.

Council included supporting this request from the local Chief Crown Prosecutor when it approved the Council Priorities Advocacy list for 2021 at Monday’s meeting.

Mayor Jackie Clayton says this would mean working within what she calls a specialized court system.

“The success rate of the Drug Treatment Courts is quite high. It can get anywhere from 20 to 40 people off the streets. The individual that is in front of the judge, they work out a plan so this person can get back into civilization, whether it is housing they need help with or finding a job.”

Clayton says the city has been pushing for this for a long time and is optimistic an announcement is coming this year.

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The city says the province announced such programs for five cities besides Edmonton and Calgary in 2019. Since then, they have been established in Red Deer, Lethbridge, and Medicine Hat. City Hall adds the former Justice Minister said Grande Prairie would also be included while speaking with local officials last fall.

City council wants Grande Prairie to have its own Court of Queen’s Bench judge.

Clayton says while other cities this size have two of three Queen’s Bench judges, Grande Prairie doesn’t have any.

“That, in turn, is an expense that is added to the province and (means) delays sometimes in court (like) additional travel costs as we bring in that judge. It is really unfortunate in that we could have our own Court of Queen’s Bench judge, which would help with scheduling and saving substantial costs and time.”

The province’s Court of Queen’s Bench Act mandates that one or more judges live in or near Grande Prairie. City Hall says there has not been one here for many years.

Council will also be asking the provincial government to bring back funding for a rent subsidy program.

Clayton says this would fall under two areas.

“Currently, the Grande Spirit Foundation administers rent subsidy programs. Council is advocating for the Private Landlord Supplement Program as well as the Direct Rent Supplement Assistance Program. They are both provincially-subsidized programs (that) serve different needs.”

The list also includes advocating to have the new Grande Prairie Regional Hospital fully staffed. Council also wants to push for support for regional airports, for funding and work on twinning on Highway 40 to continue, and that the education portion of property taxes be kept frozen for the next three years.