Highlights from Monday’s meeting of Grande Prairie City Council

Advocacy list approved

Council approved its new advocacy list. That includes working on electricity distribution costs, the 911 levy, support for Northwestern Polytechnic, seniors housing and long-term care and economic corridors. That last one would include Highway 40X and improvements to both rail and air service. Other priorities council would advocate for with other levels of government include health care supports and funding for medical first response, FCSS, preventative programs and addictions recovery, housing and homelessness, transportation and recreation, and culture and arts infrastructure. City staff have also been asked to come up with resolutions on electricity distribution costs and funding to support service delivery for regional service hubs to go to the Alberta Municipalities fall convention.

Council approved releasing $3,937,332.95 from the Financial Stabilization reserve to cover retroactive pay for RCMP members. This is to cover retroactive salary increases for the period between January 1, 2017, and March 31, 2022, a result of negotiations between the federal government and the National Police Federation that started in 2021. There had already been $3 million set aside for this expense.

Tax break for new builds of 30 or more residential units

Council approved policy changes that would give tax breaks for new construction of residential buildings that would have 30 or more units. The idea is to give property tax breaks of 100 per cent on the increase in the assessed value of the property. Year 1 would start the day the building permit is issued. Year 2 would be based on the earlier of the date a final occupancy certificate is issued or the second anniversary of the date the building permit is given and that there is someone living in the building by the third anniversary of the building permit being issued. There could also be a 100 per cent rebate in Year 3 and 50 per cent in Year 4. The program expires at the end of 2025.

Land Use Bylaw changes

Council changed the Land Use Bylaw to allow what the city calls “Mixed Use Apartments”, ones with no more than two units, in some areas that are zoned commercial. A report prepared by city staff says something like this would “enhance community vibrancy.” The change is also meant to increase the number of people walking in commercial areas and to make more housing available.

Library report show numbers up last year

The Grande Prairie Public Library submitted a report to council that said the number of visits to the library went up by six per cent in 2024. That equals a total number of visits of 214,206. The library also said that there was an 86 per cent increase in attendance for library programs and that 9,000 of those attendees were children. The library also circulated half a million items, answered 28,000 questions (an increase of nine per cent), and had close to 24,000 holders of library cards. Of those, 12,216 are active card holders, a 14 per cent increase from the year before.

Council’s next meeting is set for April 7.

by Curtis Galbraith