The Fairview Health Complex emergency department will be temporarily closed due to a lack of physician coverage from 7:00 a.m., Thursday, November 30th to 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 2nd.

Nurses will remain available in the emergency department to provide triage, assessments, and referrals for patients to alternate emergency departments in surrounding communities.

Residents are asked to call 911 in case of emergency and EMS will remain available to the community and will be re-routed to surrounding healthcare centres.

For non-emergencies residents are asked to call Health Link at 811, available 24/7.

The Fairview Health Complex says if coverage is found, disruptions may be cancelled.

Police are looking to the public to try and track down a pair of suspects connected to what they’re calling a fraudulent bank transaction in Spirit River.

The Grande Prairie RCMP says they received a report about the alleged transaction on November 21st, but provided little in terms of details. The first of the suspects is described as a man, between 45 and 55 years old, standing approximately 5’4″, weighing 210 pounds with short gray hear and a short salt and pepper beard. He was last seen wearing a white and beige ball cap with a logo on it, dark clothes and a

The second suspect is a woman, between 45-55 years old, 5’2″, 190 pounds, with short brown hair and was last seen wearing white and brown diamond patterned shirt, dark coat and black purse.

Anyone with information on the two is urged to call police or Crime Stoppers.

Rentco Equipment Limited has announced a $60,000 donation for six Peace Country charities to celebrate Rentco’s 60th anniversary in the region.

The family-owned business has been in the Peace Country since 1963, and Rentco says the donation will be evenly distributed among the company’s 6 locations in the Peace Region. Recipients of the donation include Camp Heal-A-Heart, Technical Search & Rescue, Men’s Shed, Ground Level Youth Centre in Peace River, Bulterys House in Dawson Creek, and the Fort St. John Women’s Resource Society.

Rentco President Drew Shields says the charities were chosen due to their alignment with Rentco’s values.

“We also wanted to recognize those organizations in our community that share our company’s values,” he says. “All these organizations are valuable to the City of Grande Prairie, yet don’t get as much recognition as they should.”

According to Rentco, donations were presented officially at their three Grande Prairie locations and the three Rentco locations outside the city will be presented throughout the week.

The Grande Prairie Legion is hosting its third annual Christmas Craft Market to give residents the opportunity to get some last-minute Christmas shopping done while supporting locals.

Event organizer Jamie Blois says the event gives craft enthusiasts a chance to show off their work without cutting into their bottom line.

“It’s something we do every year,” she says. “It’s an opportunity for vendors, we provide them with a space that’s extremely inexpensive to come in and show off their wares.”

“It’s really just a community space with lots of things for people to look at and do some last-minute Christmas shopping.”

According to Blois, around 1000 people were in attendance last year. She says the event’s popularity is due to its last-minute nature, being held on the last weekend before Christmas.

“It’s just one day, basically the last weekend before Christmas that you can shop, so lots of people like to come and check it out and see what they can find.”

Additionally, Blois credits the vendors with bringing in so many eager shoppers. She says the variety of products available ensures there is something at the market for everyone.

“It’s mainly just handmade stuff, so we’ve got chainsaw carvings, dreamcatchers, gift baskets, and crocheting/quilting.”

“We have people that do custom tumblers and t-shirts, hand-carved pens, so there’s a lot of handmade local product.”

The event is free to enter and does not require any tickets. The market will be held on Saturday, December 16th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The Grande Prairie Public Library’s annual Pajama Ball is returning for the second year in a row.

On Saturday, December 16th from 1:00-4:00 p.m., pajama pals of all ages are invited to go out for an afternoon of cookie decorating, crafts, storytime, and even a live music performance by Juno-nominated children’s performer Mary Lambert.

GPPL Children’s Program Coordinator Kate Renfree says the event saw over 200 children in attendance last year and serves as a break from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

“Sometimes there’s overstimulation with some of the holiday events so this one, you can come in pajamas, it’s all about being cozy and just having a nice relaxing time,” she says. “What could be cozier than going to the library in your pajamas and curling up with a good book.”

Renfree says that while the event saw a healthy attendance last year, COVID hampered the library’s full plans, but she says this year, the library is fully open and ready for even more in its second year. She adds that free events like the Pajama Ball are important for the library as the space continues to serve as a hub for the city.

“I think it’s very much part of being the community, we really want to be a hub for the community, and be able to provide a place for people to explore and be inspired, and have that accessibility,”

Invitations are not required to attend, but anyone interested can pick one up at the Children’s Information Desk starting two weeks prior to the event.

Richmond Drycleaners is set to join the Peace Area Riding for the Disabled Society’s growing list of program sponsors after a $730 donation earlier this month.

PARDS Executive Director Jennifer Douglas says Richmond has been a long-time supporter of the riding society with cleaning and operational services.

“They decided to offer to keep all of our floormats clean, and keep everything safe covering up our wet floors heading into winter, so that’s significant, and it’s not something we had in our budget to do.”

Douglas says keeping the facility dry and ice/snow free is significant, as PARDS serves a diverse client base which includes individuals with mobility issues. She says the facility is almost completely reliant on donations from the community to ensure doors can stay open all year round.

“GP Yardworks comes and does our snow removal all winter long, which is something that is important, especially not knowing how many snowfalls and whatnot is something that is really challenging to budget, so just knowing that it’s not a worry is a huge help.”

“Knowing that our parking lots are going to be safe, the people that we serve have mobility issues and significant challenges, so knowing that they can be safe coming from their vehicles into our facility is huge.”

Douglas adds that facility sponsorship is a way for companies to make a commitment and show support without taking a big hit out of their bottom line. PARDS currently accepts horse sponsorship, rider sponsorship, and horse/cash donations on their website.

The Helping Hands Society of Grande Prairie is seeing an increased need for community support, with its Adopt-a-Family campaign reaching 380 families. Northreach Society Executive Director Dalyce Sather-McNabb says the organization had to close registration for the program early because they maxed out, with 80 more hampers needed this year than were handed out last year.

McNabb says community support is needed to make the campaign work; whether it be by adopting an entire family and filling their hamper or giving a monetary donation that will be used towards filling a hamper, every little bit helps brighten someone else in the community holidays this year.

“To make this campaign successful, what we need is our neighbours feeding neighbours and using community access to make more connections.”

She also says there will be different gift drop-off locations throughout the community this year, so those who want to can make a small contribution.

McNabb says the increase in the number of Christmas hampers needed to be filled shows the continued trend they have seen throughout the year, with inflation making things more challenging for the communities most vulnerable.

“We are feeding 10 plus families a week with the hamper program, with a waiting list that is probably close to 100 [families long]. So we are seeing so many more folks who are struggling.”

Families enrolled in the Adopt-a-Family program provide answers to a questionnaire with their favourite colour and clothing size, following the idea of something you want, something you need, and something to wear.

Adopting a family ranges in price anywhere from $425 to $1,200 and includes the cost of gifts and food. McNabb says those who enroll in the program are asked to fill out a questionnaire providing the favourite colour and clothing size of each person in the family and try to follow the idea of something they want, something they need, and something to wear. She adds that the program is for families, vulnerable individuals, and seniors.

Harry Balfour School Grade 5 student Charlotte Dembicki has been named winner of the 2023 Peace Wapiti School Division Christmas Card Art Contest.

Each year, the contest cycles through all four grade divisions and features a different theme. This year’s theme was “The best thing about Christmas or The best thing about the holiday season.”

Charlotte’s card, which depicts a robin nesting next to a stocking on a tree branch, was selected from a pool of 273 submissions by Grade 4-6 students across PWPSD schools.

Judges of the contest say they were “thrilled” with the amount of care and effort that was put into each submission.

On Monday, former City Councillor John Lehners was honoured in council with a memorial plaque presented by the City of Grande Prairie on behalf of Design Works Centre.

According to the City, Design Works Centre gifted the plaque commemorating Lehners’ commitment and service to hockey and the Grande Prairie Hockey Legends Project.

Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton says Lehners played a critical role for the City as a community leader and was “instrumental” to the Hockey Legends Project.

“Today we had the opportunity to present that plaque as it wasn’t ready when we had the official ceremony.”

“His strengths were working not only with ourselves and the City of Grande Prairie, but school boards, and sporting organizations, and hockey in particular so him being recognized within the Hockey Legends Lounge was very special.”

Lehners is credited with developing the rubric system that must be passed to qualify as a GP Hockey Legend while serving as Special Events Co-chair for the organization.

Lehners’ wife Donna Koch accepted the memorial plaque on her husband’s behalf, which will be displayed at the Design Works Centre.

After a “lengthy” discussion at the committee level of council, Grande Prairie City Council has affirmed their support for administration’s request for $200,000 from the Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta.

Approval does not necessarily mean the city will see the $200K, but Chief Public and Protective Services Officer Dan Lemieux says the movement is a step in the right direction.

According to Chief Lemieux, administration put the application forward to provide the city with some financial aid for fire-smart projects in and around the municipality.

“It doesn’t mean we’re going to get the funding but we’ve asked for $200K and the purpose of that will be for vegetation management, to look at the South Bear Creek Corridor, and to kind of cleanup area where there’s a lot of deadfall.”

“It doesn’t mean we’re going in and cutting a whole bunch of trees but we’re going to remove the deadfall, maybe some grasses, anything that creates a higher than normal fire hazard, we’ll try to clean up.”

Both administration and City Council have emphasized the importance of fire prevention over the winter season and Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton says if the $200K is granted from FRIAA, the city will more easily be able to expand on prevention services.

“We know in fire management, prevention is key in regards to vegetation management, planning, being safe around your house, being aware of what constitutes good planning for yourself,” she says. “With such a dry fall that we’ve had and now into winter also being dry we’re very cautious in regards to planning for the spring.”

“This grant, if we’re lucky enough to be awarded will continue to help us with that work we plan to do.”

Chief Lemieux adds that South Bear Creek is significant due to the nature of its corridor, which allows fire to enter the municipality more easily than other areas of concern.

“Really, South Bear Creek is kind of like the corridor, where fire would travel, if there was another fire outside of our municipality, so South Bear Creek is absolutely critical for us.”

“This is part of council trying to be proactive and say- what is it that we need to do to prevent the wildfires from entering our community.”

Upon approval, Lemieux says the city would “most likely” hire an outside contractor to begin fire-smart operations in the South Bear Creek Corridor.

The number of homes sold in Grande Prairie saw a nearly 40 per cent bump in October compared to the same month in 2022.

According to the Alberta Real Estate Association, Grande Prairie saw 124 homes sold in October, with most being detached homes. The average price to buy a residential property in the city throughout the 31 days was $326,874, a six per cent uptick from last year but a $10,874 drop from the month before. According to the AREA report, the number of new listings and inventory saw a year-over-year decline, with 112 new listings put on the market.

To date, this year, Grande Prairie home sales, along with the average price of a home, are down compared to the same benchmark in 2022.

The number of building permits issued in October was just over half the number of permits issued the previous month.

According to the latest numbers from Invest Grande Prairie, there were 37 building permits issued in October 2023 worth over $7.3 million. Both are nearly a 50 per cent reduction from 64 building permits worth $13.7 million.

According to Invest Grande Prairie, $77,827,000 worth of building permits have been issued to date in 2023.

Impact Grande Prairie has officially kicked off the International 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign to call out and speak up against gender-based violence.

The campaign is being observed by numerous wellness centres in the city, with partnerships between the Odyssey House, PACE, and Impact, all joining together to raise awareness for gender-based violence in Grande Prairie.

According to Kristen Tardif, Media and Event Coordinator for Impact Grande Prairie, one in three women in Alberta will experience gender-based violence at some point in their lives. She says the campaign is important as it sheds light on violence against women in communities.

“At Odyssey House, we see a lot of women utilizing our services, so it just kinda goes to show that it’s more common than people think, and it’s in their own community as well.”

This year, Impact Grande Prairie shares that PACE provided 263 individuals with counselling who experienced sexual violence, provided crisis intervention to 63 individuals and hosted over 80 participants in various women’s support groups in Grande Prairie.

Tardif says she encourages everyone who takes part in the 16 days of activism campaign to listen and learn about gender-based violence in Grande Prairie.

“The main thing is just to listen to people who have experienced it or are experiencing it, chances are they will seek help if you just give them a listening ear.”

The campaign started on November 25th, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and goes until December 10th, Human Rights Day.

During the next municipal election, residents in Sexsmith could see a reduction in the number of positions they cast a ballot for. On Monday, November 20th, Sexsmith council gave second reading to a bylaw change that would see the number of councillors drop from six to four, plus the mayor equaling five elected officials.

The benefits reported for dropping the number of councillors include an estimated savings of $40,000 to $65,000 per year for the town, the result of fewer honorarium payments for meetings, conferences, training, and seminars. Another possible benefit reported is that making council smaller could shorten discussions and move business along quicker, while an anticipated negative is that it would mean more work for elected officials.

Before the bylaw is given a third reading, the town will hold a public consultation, with an open house expected in the new year.

The topic of reducing the council size was first brought to the Committee of the Whole on October 10th, when administration was directed to draft a bylaw for the reduction and bring it back to regular council for discussion.

After a record-breaking wildfire season, regions like Grande Prairie have been subject to unseasonably warm and dry conditions heading into the winter season, meaning more wildfires could come before the year is over.

According to Alberta Wildfire, 67 wildfires are still burning across the province and 19 new human-caused wildfires have started since October 31st.

Wildfire Information Officer for the Grande Prairie Forest Area Kelly Burke says it is vital that Albertans stay informed on wildfire prevention measures, even in winter. According to Burke, 10 wildfires have sprung up in the Grande Prairie region since October 18th, with two in November alone.

“There’s still 500 investigations, and 14 have been confirmed to be human caused, so totally preventable wildfires,”

Burke says forest fires can be prevented with just a few simple steps, including waiting until there is 15cm of snow on the ground to burn and making sure to stir, soak, and stir any campfires you might start over the winter.

“Always extinguish your campfire, if people are out hunting or recreating, and they want to have a little cooking and warming fire, that’s fine but always extinguish it,” she says. “Here there is an increased chance of forest fire because we haven’t had very much precipitation at all leading up to the Fall and now holdover fires are a big concern for us in the Spring.”

Burke adds that 19 forest fires in less than a month in November is alarming for the region as seasonal workers for Alberta wildfire are largely off duty during the winter, and the number of firefighters required simply isn’t enough to reach demand over winter.

“The majority of our seasonal staff has finished their contracts meaning that the number of firefighters available just aren’t there, so we’ve greatly reduced, but we’ve seen increased fire danger and we’re also seeing wildfires occur,” she says. “We’re going to have to know where these hotspots are and monitor address them come Spring,”

Alberta Wildfire emphasizes the importance of taking care when lighting fires due to dry conditions, and residents are asked to ensure all fires are completely out before leaving an area.

You’ve likely noticed a lack of sugar products on the shelves heading into the holiday season, and it’s something local honey farmers say shouldn’t take the sweetness out of your holiday baking.

Due to an eight-week-long strike at Rogers Sugar Incorporated’s Vancouver refinery, western Canadians may start to feel the effects of supply chain issues heading into the holidays.

Honey producers from around Grande Prairie say they are looking at the opportunity as a chance to spread the message of replacing white sugar with honey in holiday treats for a “healthier, more natural” option.

“More people are definitely looking at honey, I’ve had quite a few requests come in for purchases,” Hahny Bee Honey Owner Jolaina Hahn says. “Honey is a more natural sweetener, it goes into your system more slowly so it’s better for you, it’s still a sugar, but it’s better [for you].”

Hahn, who has been a vocal advocate for switching to honey throughout the Rogers Sugar strike says making the switch is easier than you might think, as most recipes require less honey than sugar as a replacement.

“I’ve had people say that it’s more expensive than sugar but you actually need to use quite a bit less,” she says. “I wouldn’t say everything converts perfectly, it’s definitely trial and error, that’s why I post so many recipes because I know they work.”

Beelicious Inc. Co-Owner and operator Andrew McNeil adds that it is important to be mindful of purchasing more sugar than one might need heading into the holiday season.

“We’re a honey-producing family and we might go through 10 kg of sugar in an entire year to feed the bees as a supplement when they aren’t getting nectar in the fall and the winter, so my advice to everybody is just to stay calm.”

“Honey is a good substitute for sugar, or rather sugar is a poor substitute for honey I guess you could say,” he adds. “People can use honey as a substitute for sugar so it can definitely open up another avenue.”

McNeil says he believes in replacing sugar with honey wherever possible, regardless of a shortage, as the sweet stuff is a more “natural” and holistic option.

“Honey is on the top of the list for sweeteners that are healthy and natural,” he says. “I would advise to replace sugar with honey wherever you can just because it’s a more natural substance, if you’re going to get sugar you might as well get it from the bees.”

Additionally, McNeil says buying locally is important to ensure consumers are getting the 100 percent natural product while supporting the local economy.

“If you can’t get our honey, or if you don’t like our honey for whatever reason, still buy local, from a local producer that’s not a nationalized one.”

Both producers say the trend has been moving towards natural sweetener options as folks begin to explore honey as a sweetener rather than a condiment.

“I think people are starting to use honey in more novel ways instead of just putting it in their tea or on their toast, they’re actually using it to bake their muffins and make their cakes,” McNeil says.

Hahn adds that some recipes lend themselves better to honey than others, but she says a good rule of thumb is to use around 3/4 the amount of honey that a recipe requiring sugar calls for.

After nearly a decade of discussion and planning, the Rotary Wellness House Society, which includes members of the different Rotary Clubs of Grande Prairie, is building the Ken Sargent Compassion House.

Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation will be the facility’s managing partner, and Ken Sargent will be the major naming sponsor; both announcements were made at the 2023 Festival of Trees Gala. Major Gifts Officer Dawn Miller says moving forward, Rotary will be working to fundraise an additional $8 million needed to meet the $10 million it is expected to cost to build the facility.

She says the goal is to have the 20-room facility, which will also have a common cooking, eating and living area, completed and open by 2026 to give those coming to Grande Prairie from out of town for medical treatments who may need a hand somewhere to stay. Miller says the foundation is excited to be working in partnership with Rotary to manage the facility when it is open, adding it is a partnership that makes sense.

“We are in the hospital, we know the donors, we know the patients, we work with healthcare providers and staff on a daily basis, so it is really a win-win for everybody.”

Miller says as the managing partner of the Ken Sargent Compassion House, the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation will need to find an Executive Director who will be in charge of the facility, hiring staff and managing volunteers. However, between now and the facility opening, they will be working to raise funds to help offset operating costs.

“We need to make this house sustainable; we also are trying to make it very, very reasonable for patients and families to stay and that all requires money, and it also requires volunteers to come in. Whether it is helping to greet people, clean up, or whatever it might be, and just helping the families navigate.”

She adds the $2 million donation the foundation received from Ken Sargent for the wellness house will be used for operation costs and help keep the expense low for those who are referred to stay at the facility, which will be located kitty-corner from the hospital.

Miller says she expects more announcements and presentations will be made for the project in time.

The Grande Prairie Regional Airshow is returning for the first time since 1993.

From July 26-28, 2024, pilots will fly high around Grande Prairie to support the D-Coy Community Hub Project to aid with the Rotary Club’s goal of restoring and renovating the D Company Armouries building.

Rotary Club President Bruce Tattrie says with the growth of the Army and Air Cadet corps in Grande Priaire, restoration of the space is essential for the cadets and the community.

“Both squads are growing, so to have the extra space and extra storage as well is a big thing for them,” he says. “We have been sponsoring them for decades, and we’re continuing that, so we want them to have as good of a facility as they can have really, and they are excited.”

The Rotary Club says the total cost of the project is estimated at $3.5 million and $1.8 million has been pledged toward the cause so far.

“I think the guys that give up all their volunteer time, the officers from these programs, will benefit greatly from having such a nice facility, and Grande Prairie will too, it’s not just the air and army cadets, the whole idea is to create a youth-centric hub that several not-for-profits can utilize as well.”

According to Tattrie, the airshow will feature civilian and military performances, and talks with the British RAF Red Arrows and Snow Birds are awaiting confirmation. Additionally, Tattrie says the show will host a static display of specialty aircraft and family activities like face painting, bouncy castles, and live music.