Christmas in Sexsmith is kicking off the holiday season in the town, and residents are invited to participate in the multi-day festivities. The event starts on Thursday, November 23rd, with activities that day, including the downtown light-up.

Mayor Kate Potter says there are a few new additions to this year’s festivities, including a live nativity scene outside the historic church that was recently moved to the downtown core. Also, on Saturday, November 25th, kids can shop for their parents at Santa’s Secret Shop, located in the Sexsmith Curling Rink. Potter says everything in the area will be $5 or less, so youth can go shopping without breaking the bank and support the Sexsmith and Area Foodbank simultaneously.

“We are very fortunate to have some elves down from the North Pole, who will be monitoring and helping in that area,” Potter says. “Our 4-H club has graciously volunteered to help be elves as well and take kids around, so there is lots of help to make sure that not only do things run smoothly, but everyone finds a perfect gift.”

Also happening on Saturday in Sexsmith is the Reverse Santa Food and Toy Drive, where volunteers will go door to door to collect donations.

Potter says the multi-day event has such a vast array of programs and activities that there is something for almost everyone.

“When we think of the long-term benefit, not only does it grow the community engagement and the togetherness of the community, we also see economically all of our shops and restaurants end up having more visitors and more guests as people end up finding shops they didn’t even know existed here in Sexsmith.”

The local politician says to her that the best part of Christmas in Sexsmith is seeing the town and the region come together and kick off the holiday season and celebration.

“It doesn’t matter what our backgrounds are or what faith we have. We can all come together and celebrate a season and a time to be together.”

The town’s website has a full breakdown of Christmas in Sexsmith activities.

Attendance at Fletcher House and Grande Prairie’s Coordinated Care Campus has grown after facility upgrades were completed in fall 2023. According to the City of Grande Prairie, 10 tenants are scheduled to move into Fletcher House by the end of November and the supportive house is on track to reach full occupancy by February 2024.

Additionally, the Coordinated Care Campus’ residence is expected to rise by six from 35 to 41 by the end of this month. Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton says city council is pleased with the amount of work put into the two facilities, and housing initiatives remain a priority for the city heading into the new year.

“A significant amount of work went into both facilities, we’re optimistic to see those numbers increase in the near future,” she says. “It’s good to hear there are residents moving into Fletcher House and the Coordinated Care Campus, and that those numbers will continue to climb.”

Clayton adds that council believes it is important for residents in need of supportive housing to have options for residential facilities, and both projects align with council’s 2021-2023 Homelessness Strategy as they provide long-term housing solutions for the city.

“We know that construction can sometimes take a little longer than estimated. However, both projects now have done significant work and are ready to receive residents and that’s been a goal of council this entire term.”

Clayton says completing upgrades before the winter season has served is timely as the city has been experiencing a delayed winter, allowing council to further assess supportive housing needs in the city.

“We know the cold will come, so seeing those spaces open up prior to getting to the coldest time of the year is an added bonus.”

Both facilities received upgrades over the summer, with Fletcher House receiving water and sanitary pipe upgrades in September, and the Coordinated Care Campus roof replacement completed after a $780,000 investment by the city in October.

The 50-metre competition pool at the aquatics area of the Eastlink Centre is closed until further notice. According to the City of Grande Prairie, the closure is due to a mechanical failure in the pool’s filtration system.

The city says staff are working to fix the issue as quickly as possible and will give an update when the pool is ready to re-open.

The County of Grande Prairie has introduced a shelterbelt program for County of Grande Prairie residents.

Shelterbelts are masses of shrubbery and/or trees that act as a barrier to reduce wind speed and protect agricultural interests. According to the County, shelterbelts are proven to help protect soil, improve air and water quality, enhance wildlife habitat, and “may even help increase crop yields.”

The program is available on a cost-recovery basis, meaning residents can browse through this year’s selection of species, place their order online, and pickup seedlings in Spring 2024.

The County says they are placing bulk orders to ensure residents get the best rates for seedlings. Depending on the species, costs range between $0.33 per seedling to $5.00 per seedling. Each order is being sold in bundles of 10 or 15 and individual seedlings are not for sale.

Additionally, orders will not require immediate payment as variables such as disease or poor winter weather may affect nursery supplies. The County adds that residents will only be charged for the species that they receive.

Again, this year, Grande Prairie residents can pay for parking tickets at Alberta Health Services facilities with toys instead of cash for the holiday season. Toy donations can be used to pay for tickets issued between November 6th and December 15th.

“Last year was a huge success as we collected more than 470 toys province-wide,” says Nick Ternovatsky, Director of Parking at AHS. “Given its past success and positive reception, we are happy to launch it once again this holiday season.”

All toys must be in their original packaging, unwrapped and worth more than $25, and for newborns to age 17. All toys brought in will be donated to children’s foundations and charities throughout the province.

AHS recommends donations such as books, art supplies, electronics, Lego sets, and baby toys. It will also accept gift cards for grocery stores and restaurants for families.

The donations can be dropped off at any AHS parking office.

Grande Prairie city council has opted to move $6,000 from the city’s Capital Tax to enhance safety measures for the cricket pitch located along 121 Avenue. According to Mayor Jackie Clayton, the move comes after a resident in a recent council meeting brought forward some concerns regarding the proximity of the facility to their backyard.

“If you look on a map, it’s adjacent to four houses and then a road runs along it,” she says. “On the other side of the space are fields, option one, that was approved by council adds additional fencing to mitigate any safety concerns, but still keeps the recreational facility in close proximity to neighbourhoods.”

Clayton adds that recreation options within Grande Prairie neighbourhoods are a priority for council. She says neighbourhoods in the city tend to be close together, which enhances quality of life and creates a stronger sense of community.

“When we have activities of recreation and inclusiveness in our backyards and in our communities, we create a better community and better neighbourhood vibe. We’re quite proud of the recreational facilities that we have in close proximity to neighbourhoods.”

City council discussed several options, including changing the location entirely. However, the addition of enhanced safety measures was chosen due to council’s budget deliberations.

Peace Country residents are invited to participate in the Grande Prairie Regional Public Transportation Study to share their perspectives on a potential regional transit network.

The study is a joint project between the City of Grande Prairie, County of Grande Prairie, the towns of Beaverlodge, Wembley, and the Hamlet of Hythe, and serves to explore the combination of the region’s existing transit services into a single service.

County of Grande Prairie Family and Community Support Services Director, Kathleen Turner says a single, united system will be an effective and efficient use of the County’s current transportation resources.

“Currently to get between our communities, our only option is our accessible transit, which is run by different providers, so we wanted to look at those systems, and how we can bring everybody together, coordinate a route or plans, and make it more accessible for everybody.”

Turner adds that the hope is the system will appeal to a variety of demographics. She says as growth in rural areas in the region continues, and most major services in the City, the demand for accessible transit between rural communities and the City of Grande Prairie grows as well.

“We hear that people want and would like to have this kind of a system, to be able to access education, employment, shopping, or doctor appointments,” she says. “It will be a system that incorporates the needs of many people and demographics, whether you’re a senior or a student, or a mom, a family that only has one vehicle.”

Interested individuals are asked to visit the County’s website to participate in upcoming feedback opportunities. Turner says the County hopes to have a final report done by Spring 2024.

The deadline to participate in the County of Grande Prairie’s Citizen Satisfaction Online Survey has been extended to December 1st.

Throughout the month of November, County of Grande Prairie residents have been asked to share their thoughts in the county’s Citizen Satisfaction Online Survey.

Grande Prairie Reeve Bob Marshall explains that the survey allows council to measure overall satisfaction through a series of questions related to quality of life, experiences with various programs and services, and use of tax dollars.

“Our residents’ feedback will help guide council’s decisions for the County, both in the present and in the coming years,” he says.

County residents will not receive a call, but a letter of invitation to participate in the survey. The letter will include a link to the online survey and a PIN participants will need to access it.

Upon completion, results will be reported to county council and the public. The survey was originally open for participation from November 1st to 22nd.

Grande Prairie property owners can expect a 3.28 per cent residential property tax increase as the 2024 municipal budget was tentatively approved on Friday.

Some of the largest investments from the city include $16.8 million for infrastructure like roads and bridges, including scheduled projects set to begin in the 2024 construction season. Mayor Jackie Clayton says, in addition to the road work in the heart of the municipality, a $20 million funding pledge from the province will also be allocated for work on the Highway 43X bypass.

“Some of the work will continue again this summer as it was earmarked from last year. However, a shifting of a significant portion of it which is just west of the city will be put forward to another year, in anticipation of a few things.”

“I think the community will recognize that a significant amount of work has been done in the past couple of years on that bypass,” she adds. “We always expect to see growth in our region, but as well in negotiations with the province in regards to LGFF funding, there is potentially an increase there.”

Councillors also discussed numerous budgeting options and cuts to try to lower the possible tax increase while trying to keep an eye on future needs. Clayton says this applies for items like the $500,000 funding boost for the Maskwa Medical Centre through council’s Strategic Initiatives Fund.

“Many people, including most of council, don’t have family doctors,” she says. “On a regular basis, we hear from our community the dire need for enhanced healthcare services and more healthcare professionals and doctors.”

Clayton adds that the Maskwa organization hopes to work with the province and is currently exploring options with Northwestern Polytechnic and the University of Alberta to find solutions for physician training and modified medical services for residents.

“What it could look like in a medical assessment where you have a different assessment than you’re used to where you go to a general practitioner, you would go to a team of physicians that would analyze and assess your needs based on your ailment. I’m optimistic our two municipal partners will continue to fund this as we look for the engineering, designs, and estimates to be completed.”

At the start of budget deliberations, administration had suggested a potential 6.09 per cent tax increase, but over three days of debate and discussion, that was eventually cut down to the proposed 3.28 percent jump. The 2024 budget will be ratified during the November 27, 2023 Grande Prairie city council meeting.

Alberta Fish & Wildlife is investigating after a bull moose was shot and left to waste in the Grande Prairie area earlier this month.

Officers responded to a report of a moose that had been shot and left to waste along the South Imperial Road on November 6th, approximately six kilometres east of Highway 40, south of Grande Prairie.

The animal was found in a ditch, and officials were able to confirm it was shot, but officers believe there was no effort to harvest the meat, despite being edible for consumption. Fish and wildlife officers believe that the moose was killed sometime between November 4th and 5th, 2023.

Beaverlodge’s Rose Koll is among 150 specially recognized volunteers as a Northern Lights recipient for her work as Wolverines Wheelchair Sports Association Treasurer. The Alberta Northern Lights Volunteer Recognition Program is meant to recognize outstanding Albertan volunteers who demonstrate strong community spirit.

The Wolverines have provided nine unique social-recreational and athletics programs, and Koll has served as a board member of the organization for more than 10 years. The self-described “professional volunteer” says the award is meaningful as it validates all the work she has put into the Wolverines.

“I was very honoured to receive this award,” she says. “My grandson has cerebral palsy and he can’t do an awful lot of stuff, but one thing he does is sledge hockey, and wheelchair basketball.”

According to the recognition program, Koll’s award comes due to her efforts seeking out funding opportunities after pandemic public health directives put a pause on fundraising events. Recently, her work has shifted to recruitment, and she says that while she continues to work with and provide service for the Wolverines, she cannot continue forever.

“I hope that people can step up and come help with the program because these individuals really rely on the program, and the look on their faces, it really warms your heart,” she says.

Koll adds that she encourages interested individuals to volunteer through the Wolverines website.

Grande Prairie City Council wrapped up day two of 2024 budget deliberations, saving more than $2.35 million across throughout nearly eight hours of debate.

22 mitigation strategies were presented to council for consideration and council opted to approve eight, for a total of $1.11 million in potential savings in the Operational Services budget.

Mayor Jackie Clayton says council is taking every measure to lower a potential tax increase for residents; however, she says it is simply more expensive to provide services in 2023.

“Council has made it a priority to remain very cognisant of the impact that taxes have to an average resident, to every business, to every homeowner,” she says. “There is no intention for council to raise taxes arbitrarily.”

“We’re very proud of what our community offers on a day-to-day basis, and those services, and amenities come with a cost, and council will fight hard to keep those costs in check.”

Among the more expensive strategies, council managed to slash the city’s gravel maintenance budget in half for a one year term, saving roughly $112,000. It approved $758,000 in “staffing changes,” resulting in a less than 1% city staff reduction.

Numerous budget requests from day one of deliberations were considered again, resulting in the approval of a $100k transportation budget increase, a 16-hour public security unit patrol for $277k, a 5% budgetary increase in 2024 for the Grande Prairie public library, consideration for the construction of a new indoor recreation facility, and a 5-4 vote against a $93k increase for on-demand transportation.

Council ended the meeting in the middle of Capital Budget talks, with $1.25 million in savings currently.

Capital talks are scheduled to continue in the third and final 2024 budget deliberation meeting on November 17th.

Each winter, the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital reportedly sees dozens of patients come through their doors with frostbite on their lower extremities, and the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation is hoping to help combat this with the support of the community with a footwear drive.

Philanthropy Engagement Officer Sally Bellerose explains that many people brought to either the Emergency Department or Mental Health and Addictions Unit come in under emergency circumstances, which in a lot of cases means the patients are brought in without shoes. She says with the footwear drive, the foundation is looking to give vulnerable patients safety and dignity by being able to provide them with footwear.

“Wouldn’t it be nice if we could send these patients away with footwear, or while they are admitted and in hospital, they have footwear to walk around with and upon discharge can leave and go back into the community with footwear,” Bellerose says. “So we are looking for all types of footwear as some patients will wear them in the hospital while they are admitted, but ideally, we would like to see those warmer footwear items.”

She says the foundation is currently focusing on collecting footwear for adults, for both men and women, from sizes six to 14, and are looking for both indoor and outdoor shoes, including slippers, runners, boots, and even the hot paws, which can be put in boots to help keeps residents feet warm.

The footwear drive is happening throughout November with drop-off locations at the entrance of the Festival of Trees, along with the 2day FM office. Bellerose says those interested can also email the foundation and set up a drop-off time at the hospital.

The Tollefson Family Farm is the latest recipient of the BMO Farm Family Award.

The 5 generation farm was first established in 1951 when Elna Tollefson started homesteading near Sweathouse with their sons Wally, Ken, Cliff, and Leroy, and was eventually taken over by Wally’s son Ed.

Ed now owns and operates the farm with his wife and children, and Ed says it is an honour to be recognized for his family’s efforts.

“Kind of ironically my dad won the same award in 1970 when I was five years old, so it’s definitely a huge honour to win it again that many years later with my family.”

Tollefson says the award is meaningful for the entire family farm community, as the number of operational farms grows fewer each year; however, he says his kids’ interest and embrace of the lifestyle gives him hope that the farm will continue far into the future.

“I think there’s just getting to be so few of them around now, and it’s getting harder and harder to make a living farming and there’s not a lot of them out there anymore.”

“I’m 58 years old and it was getting to the point where I was thinking of retiring, but to have your kids farming with you just gives you that rejuvenation.”

Tollefson says he hopes his children will continue to operate the farm and innovate as the future of farming continues to evolve.

A Grimshaw man is facing charges after police in the region seized stolen property from a residence in the municipality.

The Peace Regional RCMP say they partnered with RCMP Alberta’s Auto Theft Unit to reduce the impact of rural property crime in the region, and as a result, executed a search warrant at a home on 47 Avenue in Grimshaw on November 15th in relation to the initiative.

As a result, a 20-year-old man is now facing charges of possession of property over $5000, mischief under $5000, theft over $5000 and failure to comply with release order.

The Grande Prairie Salvation Army kicked off the 2023 Christmas season with this year’s Kettle Campaign.

In addition to the opening of the campaign’s 2023 season, the event was significant for one long-time volunteer who is celebrating her 60th year as a volunteer with the Salvation Army.

Jane Reif has been a soldier with the Salvation Army since she was six months old, and she says the Kettle Campaign has become a Christmas tradition for her and her family.

“I raised my children to do kettles, my boys are both adults and I know in Ontario my youngest son still does kettles every year, It’s not Christmas without doing them.”

“I was a single mom for many years so sometimes the hamper was all we got for Christmas so I vowed that when I was able to give back financially I would, but even when we couldn’t give financially we donated our time.”

According to Executive Director of the Salvation Army in Grande Prairie Captain Peter Kim, the need in Grande Prairie has grown “exponentially” as 9,199 unique Grande Prairie residents have been tracked using the food bank before the Christmas season, and he says they are projecting that number to grow to more than 12,000 by the end of 2023. Kim adds that number equates to over 5600 individual households projected to access food hampers in the 2023 season.

“There’s actually a waiting period now, a three-weeks long waiting period for people to just receive their food because there’s just a huge volume of new households and individuals coming to access the foodbank.”

Additionally, the Salvation Army has raised their Kettle Campaign goal to $650,000 for 2023, which is $50,000 more than last year. Kim says the new goal reflects the increased demand that the Salvation Army has seen for food hampers.

“Normally we do, in the past, about 2,000-5,000 hampers to over 8,000 this year,” he says.

This year, there are 11 kettle locations sprawled across the city, with cash, tap, and mail-in/online options available for anyone interested in donating.

The Grande Prairie and District Chamber of Commerce is expanding as they welcome businesses from the Town of Sexsmith.

Grande Prairie Chamber Chief Executive Officer Tanya Oliver says the Sexsmith Chamber of Commerce board, which is volunteer-run, decided it was time to close up shop and approached the Grande Prairie-based organization to see what it might look like to have the Sexsmith members join the larger organization.

“We have already been surfacing the region for decades, and we already have some existing businesses located in Sexsmith as members,” Oliver says. “So we came to an arrangement where we are transitioning their members who are not already part of our chamber into becoming members.”

With the transition, the Grande Prairie-based Chamber added 30 additional members. With that, Oliver says it came at a perfect time, as one of the main priorities in 2023 for the Grande Prairie organization was to build and grow regional connections. She adds during the pandemic, an unintentional side effect was people ending up working in “silos.” Throughout 2023 one, the Grande Prairie and District Chamber has been working to break those silos down while fostering and growing relationships.

“One of the things that will change is, just like we meet with our elected officials in the region, we will now have dedicated meetings with the mayor in Sexsmith and their economic development team and their CAO to learn more about the unique challenges that Sexsmith faces,” she says. “We have such a unique area of the province, and we provide such a significant impact to the province and Canada, so to be able to work with Sexsmith in addition to the larger communities, we will just strengthen that.”

She says along the lines of building relationships, the chamber will be holding a mixer in Sexsmith in November to get to know the different businesses in the municipality and start building those relationships.

The Grande Prairie RCMP is on scene of a collision on Highway 2 northbound near Highway 674.

Police say the northbound lanes are closed and Southbound traffic will likely be considerably slowed as long as they remain on scene. Authorities say no fatalities have been reported, although, without providing further detail, there are believed to be injuries of varying degrees.

Drivers are being asked to avoid the area if possible until the investigation wraps up.