Council Highlights

January 27, 2025

Aquatera Utility Bylaw Approved — Council gave final reading to Bylaw #3246 Aquatera Utility Bylaw as presented. The new bylaw includes a 4.5 per cent annual increase in water and wastewater utility services, effective March 1, 2025. Residential Clairmont customers are expected to see an increase of approximately $5.69/per month, while remaining County residential customers on Aquatera systems will see an increase of approximately $5.34/per month. While Aquatera continues to explore opportunities to avoid increasing costs, periodic increases are required to ensure the rate matches the cost of delivering essential services. Over the next four years, Aquatera will be undertaking a significant capital infrastructure addition and replacement cycle.

January 13, 2025

Clairmont Municipal Police Service Agreement — Council approved signing the Clairmont Municipal Police Service Agreement as received from Public Safety Canada, permitting the County of Grande Prairie to enter into the agreement establishing the municipal RCMP service contract in the Hamlet of Clairmont, effective April 1, 2025. The Alberta Police Act indicates that when a village (the Act treats hamlets as if they were villages) reaches a population greater than 5,000, the local municipality is required to provide policing services. The Act provides some options for doing so, including contracting the RCMP. In 2022, the Province of Alberta provided an estimated population for Clairmont at 5,135. In response, County administration worked alongside representatives from Public Safety Canada to formalize the new agreement.

December 16, 2024 

November 25, 2024

Action on Unsold Tax Sale Properties — Council directed Administration to bring the unsold properties from 2022, 2023 and 2024 with additional information to a future Committee of the Whole meeting for discussion. The County’s Land and Development Services department will review these parcels and provide future recommendations on how to proceed.

November 12, 2024

Municipal Census Demographic Report — Council received the 2024 Municipal Census Demographic Report as information. The report outlined results of the municipal census conducted by the County of Grande Prairie from April 3 to July 2, 2024. With a strong 95.2 per cent response rate, the census revealed that the County has a population of 26,701 residents, an increase of 5,500 residents since the 2012 census. Clairmont stands out as the largest hamlet in the County and the third largest in Alberta. Additionally, 61.9 per cent of respondents reported having a family physician in the Grande Prairie region. Read the media release for additional information.

County of Grande Prairie Releases 2024 Census Results   

October 30, 2024

Cellular Upgrades at the County Community Services Building — Council approved a five-year rental contract for a new distributed antenna system (DAS) to enhance cellular service at the County Community Services Building. Council directed Administration to proceed with the procurement process of the equipment and that the project be included in the 2025 operational budget. 

October 21, 2024

Organizational Meeting – The County held the annual organizational meeting in which Division 5 Councillor Bob Marshall was acclaimed as Reeve and Division 1 Councillor Amanda Frayn was acclaimed as Deputy Reeve. For details, see the media release.  

October 7, 2024

Clairmont Municipal Police Service Multi-Year Financial Plan — The RCMP prepared a Municipal Police Service Multi-Year Financial Plan for the four Clairmont police positions (Corporal and three Constables). Council approved the signing of this Plan which will be in effect from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2030.

September 23, 2024

Divisional Boundaries and Council Composition Bylaw — Council gave first reading to Bylaw 3236, Divisional Boundaries and Council Composition Bylaw for the County of Grande Prairie No. 1. In July 2021, the Village of Hythe dissolved to become a hamlet within the County of Grande Prairie and a review of the electoral boundaries and number of Councillors was mandated by the Province. Council was presented with a final preferred electoral boundary option at their September 9, 2024 Council meeting which incorporated feedback received through public engagement and achieved a more even population distribution while still prioritizing communities of interest and geographic division size. Council direction at that meeting was for the boundaries to remain status quo and directed Administration to prepare the electoral boundary bylaw using the current boundaries. As required by the Municipal Government Act the Bylaw will be advertised and will receive third and final reading after the 60-day petition period.