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By Tanner Smith

Healthcare

Multiple community members named to new Regional Advisory Council

Jul 15, 2025 | 1:33 PM

The Alberta Government announced the creation of 14 Regional Advisory Councils last week (Thursday, July 10), and will gather public feedback on the health sector.

These councils, comprised of 150 members from 71 communities, will inform the four health ministries about local challenges.

Photo Courtesy Alberta Government

In the Peace Region, two councils make up the area, with Regional Advisory Council 1 serving peace communities north of the Paddle Prairie Settlement, while Council 3 serves the Grande Prairie region, including Grande Cache, Fox Creek and Valleyview.

Mayor Jackie Clayton is serving as Vice-Chair for Regional Advisory Council 3, and says their role will be “to help provide input, advice and recommendations to the government on how to improve our healthcare system.”

Clayton added that this council will be the “pulse of the community,” as it is made up of many local healthcare specialists, including NWP’s Dr. Vanessa Sheane, who’s worked in the healthcare sector in northwest Alberta for many years, and a local pediatrician and neonatologist, Dr. Felix Odaibo who has served as an elected councillor for the College of Physicians in both Manitoba and Alberta.

Fahler’s Mayor Donna Buchkinski will lead the twelve-person group, as she was one of the first members of the original Regional Health Advisory Council that started back in 2009, and served for six years.

Clayton says it is now the council’s responsibility to “gather the feedback, identify the challenges, and bring forward ideas that may not otherwise get to government.”

Clayton added that they are still in the early stages of this new initiative, but once the ball is rolling, “there will be opportunities for engagement either through open houses and conversations, but also the community members will be available for conversations.”

“The local community members are really there to amplify local priorities.”

Anyone wanting to view a full list of each Regional Advisory Council and its members can visit the Alberta Government’s website.