Photo by Curtis Galbraith.

By Curtis Galbraith

City Hall

City looking to be reimbursed by province for vaccination clinic costs

Apr 20, 2021 | 6:43 PM

Grande Prairie City Council wants the province to help it pay for the cost of having a COVID-19 vaccination clinic in the Montrose Cultural Centre.

At Monday’s meeting, Council approved a motion to have Mayor Jackie Clayton send a letter asking for reimbursement to the appropriate provincial officials.

Clayton says the city is currently bearing all the cost of providing that space, even though healthcare is a provincial responsibility.

“The expenses that are coming through the City of Grande Prairie including labour, the facility, parking attendants etcetera are currently all being absorbed by the City of Grande Prairie. We are happy to support and provide the space and did so without any second-guessing.”

Clayton says the total costs associated with the clinic, or how long it will be needed, are not yet known.

Meaningful Mementos

Remembering Someone You've Lost at Christmas

Dec 03, 2024

Seasonal Sorrow

How Do You Get Through The Holidays When You're Grieving?

Nov 01, 2024

Upcoming Events at Oliver's

Grief & Loss and Estate Planning Seminars

Oct 02, 2024

“At this point, we know this conversation is in the $100,000 range (for four months) but we’re not done. We don’t know when the vaccination clinic will be done and that is only the first round.”

She adds the Municipal Affairs Minister, Ric McIver, told attendees of a recent Alberta Urban Municipalities Association leaders’ meeting that there had not been any discussion at the provincial level about this.

“Which we found quite unfortunate, and we plan in our letter to explain the demands on municipalities are not something that we’ve budgeted for and not something that we’re prepared to absorb.

“We definitely look forward to having further discussions.”

Councillor Chris Thiessen told Monday’s council meeting it was irresponsible of the provincial government to set up these clinics without having a plan in place to fund them.