Photo by Curtis Galbraith.

By Curtis Galbraith

City Hall

City council endorses list of things it wants to work on in 2022

Jan 26, 2022 | 6:00 AM

Attracting and keeping health care professionals and the high distribution costs for electricity and natural gas are things Grande Prairie city council wants to work on in 2022.

Council endorsed the 2022 Advocacy Priorities list at Monday’s meeting.

Mayor Jackie Clayton says the city is working with several others on the health care professionals idea.

“We’re in the middle of working with the chamber (Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce), the County of Grande Prairie, as well as Northwestern Polytechnic (GPRC) to do a labour market analysis.”

“When that information comes back, it will have a better layout of what we’re needing in different sectors. We know specifically that AHS has identified that there are needs in the health care system.”

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Clayton says people and businesses moving here notice a big difference in their gas and electric bills.

“It’s not the individual pricing, it’s the distribution pricing that is significant.”

“We’d like to work with ATCO and the provincial government on the distribution costs to equalize it so that other municipalities are not paying less in distribution just because they are located closer to the big centres.”

While not in the top five, a provincial police force is also on the list. Clayton says this does not mean the city is in favour of, or opposed to, this idea.

“Right now, the consultation period is taking place and we’ve been clear from the beginning that we want to be part of the process. We want to have an opportunity to learn more and see, in the province’s mind, where they think this will end up.”

“Right now, in that consultation process, it’s an opportunity to ask questions.”

The complete list follows. It is taken from a city news release.

The 2022 Advocacy Priorities are:

• Addressing High Electricity and Natural Gas Distribution Costs
• Attraction and Retention of Health Care Professionals
• Local Government Funding Framework
• Provincial Support for Industrial Attraction programs
• Highway 40X – Southwest Ring Road

In addition, City Council identified several other advocacy initiatives that are areas of interest:

• Seniors Home Care
• Provincial Police Force
• Community-Based Health Supports for Vulnerable Population
• Rent Subsidy Funding
• Homelessness Supports
• County upgrades RR63 (116 Street – City limits to correction line)
• Local Court of Queen’s Bench Justices
• Reduced carbon pricing for facilities using combined heat and power technology or similar
• Regional sharing of linear/machinery and equipment property taxes