Photo by Curtis Galbraith.

By Curtis Galbraith

City Hall

Municipalities consider borrowing money to help fund Maskwa Medical Centre

Jul 10, 2024 | 6:00 AM

City Hall is looking at borrowing as a way to help fund the Maskwa Medical Centre.

The city would borrow $3.5 million then loan it to the medical centre project. The city would pay the interest. The loan would be paid back over three years.

Mayor Jackie Clayton says the Maskwa group approached the city about lending them money to get the project started.

“I know that the Maskwa group also approached the County (of Grande Prairie) and the M.D. (of Greenview) (about) supporting the Maskwa Medical Centre. They requested $10 million, combined, between all three of us.”

“Council, after discussion, recognized that this was something that we were interested in, and our colleagues in the County and M.D. were interested in as well, as it was a loan and will mean that the project can get in the ground sooner.”

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“Our understanding was that, in order to process the loan from the lender, they needed to have that $10 million secured originally and so, they approached the municipalities.”

City Council gave first reading to borrowing and lending bylaws at its meeting July 2. A report prepared by city staff says the M.D. of Greenview and County of Grande Prairie have given first reading to similar bylaws.

Clayton says second and third reading for those city bylaws would be held in August so there can be more discussion with the community.

“If the community had significant concerns, there is time for the people to reach out to council or to share their concerns with the organization. We just didn’t want to rush this in case there was feedback from the community.”

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.