County of Grande Prairie Reeve Leanne Beaupre says collaboration is the word that would best describe 2020 for those in the region, as everyone was in the grip of a pair of earth-shattering events.
“Not only were we hit with a pandemic, but we were also hit with global uncertainty and an economic disaster as well, and it makes you step back and reevaluate everything you’re doing,” she says.
Beaupre suggests that if it weren’t for the working relationship between the county, and other municipalities, including the City of Grande Prairie, it could have made a bad situation much worse.
“After we responded to the first wave of the pandemic, this year was also an opportunity to stop and reflect, find efficiencies in our processes and address our current economic climate,” she adds.
She says while every year presents its own challenges, normally you can see the direction the winds are blowing, and it makes it much easier to meet and match those challenges. She admits, however, that 2020 even made that more difficult.
“When there is an ever-changing target it has certainly made for an interesting year, not only for the County of Grande Prairie but everybody.”
Reeve Beaupre adds that while 2020 was most definitely challenging, she feels that continued collaboration will create great, and positive change come 2021.
“Health care has a better understanding of what the virus is and what it can do, and I think our governments are well-positioned. We have had more contact with our provincial government in the last 10 months, than we’ve had previously.”
“That’s due to them being collaborative, and recognizing that we are all partners in this and if one of the links in that chain is not supported then we all fall apart.”