(Image Credit: EGP Staff)

By Curtis Galbraith

City Hall

Monday’s City Council meeting highlights

Mar 31, 2026 | 7:37 AM

Grande Prairie City Council met on Monday. Highlights included the following:

Two people from the Wapiti Community Support Association asked council advocate on the organization’s behalf after a cut in their funding from the province.

The group announced last week that its funding had been reduced by $1.45 million.

The officials say that shelter services will still be funded, but there is no longer money for the Foundations Substance-Free Transitional Housing Program. This helped get people into more permanent housing. There are currently 10 people in the program who are in need of a place to live.

The association asked council to write a letter to the Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services to ask for a delay in the funding cut.

Council approved having Mayor Clayton write a letter to the provincial ministers in charge, requesting more information on the cut and a 60-day extension.

Council agreed to have administration work with a young city resident on an idea called Take a Stick, Leave a Stick.

Brady McCorkle’s idea would see a box of sticks set up in different locations. People could use the sticks when playing with their dogs.

Brady and city staff will work on locations for a pilot project.

Council approved the 2026-2029 Strategic Plan.

A news release from City Hall says this is meant to guide decision-making over the term of the current council. That release says the plan is “based on the vision of Grande Prairie as a thriving city known for resilience, innovation and people who empower their community.”

The city says the plan has what it calls four strategic priorities. Those include economic opportunity and resilience, community empowerment and livability, infrastructure and financial stability and purposeful leadership and governance.

Council gave final approval to a pair of borrowing bylaws.

One is to borrow $7.61 million for a new Public Safety Communications Centre being built in the City on 99 building downtown. The city says this would see calls to 911, police, fire, Enforcement Services and Mobile Outreach all answered out of one location. The total cost is $8.46 million, with a provincial grant covering the rest of the cost.

The other is for $ 5 million for the Mission Heights Storm Infrastructure project. Administration says this would involve replacing and realigning some worn-out sewer pipes, along with some other repairs. 

First reading of both was given on February 17.

Council approved taking $106,000 from the Avondale Road Access & Servicing Study Project budget and putting it towards road work related to the new sports dome to be located at Trader Ridge.

A report by city administration says construction of 103 Street is needed, and doing this is part of an agreement to buy the land.

City officials say the 103 Street project went to tender last year, but the bids were over budget. A new call for tenders is expected this year, but city staff still think they will come in higher than the amount in the city budget for the project.

The original studies for the Avondale project are not needed right away.

Council also approved taking $85,557 from a reserve fund and putting it towards some work on the north fire hall. The city had budgeted $150,000 in 2023 to replace the stucco. The city asked for bids last year, but the lowest was nearly twice the budgeted amount. City officials then decided to use metal siding. The lowest usable bid came in at $250,557.

Council approved rezoning the site of an office building across 110 Street from the Grande Prairie Christian School. The building will be converted into new classroom space.

Council did say they were worried about there being no crosswalk as part of this plan.

A school board member told council that this was something they would do. He also said the converted building would have a half-dozen Grade 6 to 9 classrooms. Enrollment growth prompted the need for more space.

Council also asked administration to bring back a report on possible crosswalk options by the end of June.

The site of the school was also rezoned from General Industrial to Public Service. City administration says this better reflects what the building is used for.

Council denied a request to rezone the lot on the northwest corner of 105 Street and 101 Avenue in the College Park neighbourhood. The applicant wanted to build a four-plex on that land. Council was concerned about parking with five more bedrooms added to the area, and with snow removal.

Council’s next meeting is set for April 27.