The provincial government is looking to hear concerns from rural residents about crime and has set up a series of public town halls, including one in Grande Prairie, to try and address any issues.
“We know crime remains a serious concern for people who live in rural Alberta,” says Justice Minister and Solicitor General Kaycee Madu. “That’s why we’re reaching out to rural Albertans to talk about how we can shape the future of policing in our province to build safer communities for everyone, no matter where they live.”
This isn’t the first time the UCP government has canvassed Grande Prairie area residents about their thoughts on rural crime issues. In September 2019, then Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer heard from rural residents feeling unsafe on their properties, with several citing a lack of what they call proper punishment for those who commit crimes in rural areas.
The Alberta Government says the townhalls will also present an opportunity to discuss ongoing work to modernize the Police Act and touch on the viability and feasibility of a provincial police force replacing the RCMP across Alberta.
The Grande Prairie rural crime town hall will take place July 29th at the Holiday Inn and Suites from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Other town hall meetings have also been scheduled for Redcliff, Claresholm, Cardston, and High Level.