The number of people unemployed in the economic region that includes Grande Prairie saw a dip from September to October. According to the latest numbers from Statistics Canada, the unemployment rate for the Athabasca – Grande Prairie – Peace River region was 5.1 per cent in October, down from the 6.1 reported the previous month.

Compared to October 2022, the number of people unemployed in the economic region saw a 0.1 per cent year-over-year boost.

Across Alberta, the unemployment rate saw a slight upward trend, with October seeing a 5.8 per cent unemployment rate. The Red Deer region recorded the highest unemployment rate in October, while the Camrose-Drumheller region reported the lowest.

Canada’s unemployment rate has risen slightly to 5.7 per cent and has increased four times in the past six months. In September the jobless rate was 5.5 per cent.

Statistics Canada says the economy added 18,000 jobs in September. Jobs were added in the construction, information, culture, and recreation sectors but were offset by losses in wholesale and retail trade.

Wages continued to climb but have slowed since September with hourly wages up 4.8 per cent from a year ago.

Several Remembrance Day ceremonies will be held across the Peace Country as residents around the region observe the traditions and take a moment to think about the life and loss of members of the Canadian Armed Forces.

In Grande Prairie, the Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans Unit 389 will hold its parade and ceremony at Jubilee Park Cenotaph starting at approximately 10:45 a.m. A livestream will be posted on Erica Fisher’s Facebook page.

The Grande Prairie Legion #54 will hold its ceremony indoors Bonnetts Energy Centre, with the service starting at 10:45. An event will follow at the Legion starting at 12:30 p.m.

In Sexsmith, a Remembrance Day service will be held at 10 a.m. at the Sexsmith Civic Centre by Sexsmith Legion Branch #60.

The Beaverlodge Legion Branch #121 will be hosting a service in the Community Centre at 10:50 a.m. The parade is scheduled to form up at Beaverlodge Elementary School and leaves at 10:30 a.m.

Wembley residents looking to participate with a procession before the service are invited to gather at the Wembley Fire Hall at 10:30 a.m. Regular service will start at 10:45 a.m. at the cenotaph. Intersections along 100 Avenue at 100 and 101 Street will be closed to allow the procession from the fire hall to the town office and cenotaph.

The Hythe Legion Branch #93 is hosting a service for residents with doors opening at 10 a.m. and service starting at 10:50 a.m. Fellowship and entertainment will follow after the ceremony in the lounge.

Several City of Grande Prairie services will be closed or operating on modified schedules over the weekend for Remembrance Day. On Saturday, November 11th, Bonnetts Energy Centre will be open for the Grande Prairie Legion Remembrance Day Ceremony from 9:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The Ernie Radbourne Pavilion in Muskoseepi Park and the Eastlink Centre will be available from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., with the remaining city facilities closed, including Montrose Cultural Centre and the Grande Prairie Museum. According to the city, the Lloyd Head U11 tournament will run out of the Design Works Centre on Saturday, but the facility is unavailable for public skating.

City transit will operate on holiday hours on the 11th and a temporary stop will be set up at Bonnetts Energy Centre.

On Monday, November 13th, the Eastlink Centre, Design Works Centre, and Montrose Cultural Centre will be open, while the Ernie Radbourne Pavilion will be open from 12 to 5 p.m. The remaining city facilities, including city hall and the City Service Centre, will be closed. Transit will be operating on a regular schedule.

It will rain golf balls in Grande Prairie on Sunday. The upcoming Harvest Heli-Drop is the primary fundraiser for the United Way Alberta Northwest this season.

Executive Director Tracy Zuk says the idea came about as the organization looked for something new and interesting to bring to the region. The event works by having people purchase golf balls for $25 beforehand, and they will all be dropped from a helicopter above a target.

“The closest to the target wins $10,000, and then we also decided to throw in a little bit of a twist, so the golf ball that is furthest away from the target also wins $1,000,” explains Zuk.

The organization has a fundraising goal of $50,000 to support different charities and programs in the Grande Prairie region. As of November 9th, the organization still needs $36,215 to meet its goal.

Zuk says the winner does not have to be on-site when the ball drops, as each ball will be put into a database with each entrant’s information.

“The actual deadline to purchase a ball is November 11th at 11:59 p.m.”

The target for the heli-drop is being set up at Country Roads RV Park, with event starting at 2 p.m. on November 12th.

Grande Prairie veterans will be recognized by the Salvation Army at Remembrance Day events across the city on November 11th. Captain Peter Kim says they will host two ceremonies at Wildrose Manor and Emerald Gardens in addition to joining the Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans at the cenotaph and the Grande Prairie Legion #54 at Bonnetts Energy Centre to lay wreaths.

Kim says the ceremonies are important as the seniors homes have numerous veterans who are residents and the Salvation Army works closely with the Canadian Armed Forces in disaster relief situations.

“The Salvation Army was an integral part of World War II, where we were out in the front lines helping feed the front line soldiers. We’re supporting veterans as the Salvation Army because we’re right there during disasters and people who need help.”

Additionally, Kim says the Salvation Army works closely with veterans as he says an alarming amount of them suffer from food insecurity, especially among seniors on fixed incomes and pensions.

“We are aware that there are veterans in need of food, so we have them come to the food bank and they’re able to access that.”

According to Kim, food bank usage rates have increased “exponentially” among both veterans and civilians, with around one in five Grande Prairie residents depending on the food bank for meals each year.

Local Special Olympics curling coach Mark Heartt has taken home the Special Olympics Canada Coach of the Year Award. The Grande Prairie resident has been part of Special Olympics for more than 18 years, coaching in numerous communities in B.C. and Alberta.

After winning the Coach of the Year Award for Alberta in May, Special Olympics Alberta submitted Heartt’s name for national contention. The coach says he feels validated by the organization he loves after winning both.

“To win that is unbelievable, it is so humbling. I love coaching Special Olympics, it’s the highlight of my week; to be recognized for something that I love to do so much it’s so neat, it’s a huge honour.”

Heartt credits both of his wins to his athletes and their continued dedication to practice and competition, saying the entire Special Olympics Alberta community can celebrate the recognition.

“If it wasn’t for the athletes, I wouldn’t have had this opportunity, they’re the ones who need to be thanked for all of this.”

“I’ve seen so many amazing things with the athletes, they come to practice and go to competitions and that’s when the magic happens, when the athletes come together in a competition because they are safe, they feel safe and accepted in that environment, and they shine.”

Heartt adds that with the recognition, he plans on advocating for stronger coach training for Special Olympics Canada, saying current programs lack focus on intellectually handicapped methods of training.

“It’s hard for a coach that hasn’t worked with a Special Olympics athlete to relate a drill to that athlete. I would like to see us have more coaches that are being recognized as good coaches, and take your experience and help other coaches to learn how to work with their athletes and get the best out of them.”

Heartt and his team are scheduled to compete at the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games in Calgary from February 27th to March 2nd.

UPDATE: As of 6:30 p.m., traffic has returned to normal.

Police say their preliminary investigation has shown that two vehicles were involved in a head-on collision on Highway 2 roughly half way up the East Hill. The drivers of both vehicles were taken to hospital in serious condition.

Community members have been thanked for their help and patience.

Delays are expected on Highway 2 east of Peace River following a serious crash Thursday afternoon. Peace Regional RCMP says it happened in the East Hill area around 3 p.m.

Emergency services, including STARS Ambulance, are on the scene, making it impassable. Drivers are asked to find a different route while the road is blocked, which is expected for several more hours.

A week after visiting and talking with doctors in the Grande Prairie region, the president of the Alberta Medical Association of Physicians says the provincial government’s announcement about reforming Alberta’s healthcare system is a separate concern from what he considers the immediate one at hand.

Dr. Paul Parks says the morale and burnout of doctors in family medicine and acute care is as low as ever, with what he calls a lack of funding and limited workforce playing a significant role.

“What we need to do right now is we really need to make a significant investment in what we have right now and retain the doctors we have.”

Parks says there is a strain across the board when it comes to physicians in Alberta. Still, in rural areas, he thinks there is a misconception among the public about anyone being able to practice family medicine, especially in these areas.

“In reality, it truthfully is a specialty, and to do it in rural centres you need to be able to cover the hospitals. You need to be able to cover the nursing homes, and do a full primary care practice.”

He also argues the shortage of physicians in rural Alberta, along with numerous service interruptions at rural healthcare facilities, cause a strain on regional emergency facilities, such as the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital.

“There is a domino effect; when you have those small communities that have no access, then they have to go to the next larger sized community, that then adds a burden.”

In the past few weeks, Parks, along with other officials and members of the AMA, has travelled around the province to talk with members and hear their concerns. He says a theme he continues to hear is the need for support, whether that be adding physicians to the workforce to help deal with the strain or financial support to help family physicians pay their bills.

Parks explains that family physicians are like every other small business in the province that is dealing with inflation, and most times, two or more doctors will share a space to help cover the costs.

When it comes to Wednesday’s announcement of the creation of four new organizations that will make up the larger provincial healthcare system, Parks’ biggest concern is how these changes will be implemented to meet the needs of the system and Albertans as a whole.

“That is where we were saying the Alberta Medical Association of Physicians really needs to be at the absolute top input level of how do we operationalize and how do we solve the restructuring issues, separate from how do we restabilize the system.”

Parks says he is unsure if something is not done in the short term to fix the holes he perceives in the healthcare system.

UPDATE:  Grande Prairie RCMP has advised the public that Eileen Lafferty has been located safe. 

Police have reached out to the public for helping finding a missing teen. 17-year-old Eileen Lafferty was last seen in Grande Prairie on November 5th.

She is described as 5’1″ and roughly 99 pounds with a medium complexion, black hair, and brown eyes. She also has facial tattoos.

The RCMP says there is concern for the girl’s safety and wellbeing. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact the detachment or Crime Stoppers.

Public transit use among Grande Prairie youth is up 53 per cent over the rate in September. The increase comes after the city introduced a “Youth Superpass” which grants free, unlimited public transit access for residents 18 and under.

According to Grande Prairie City Councillor Chris Thiessen, public transit accessibility has been front of mind for the past three city councils, and youth usage is one of the biggest indicators that investing in the system is worth it.

“Council has always endeavoured to ensure that youth are utilizing the transit system, that’s the way we grow the system. When we got the report back that it’s 53 per cent of an increase, that’s a great sign; that means our youth are actually utilizing the transit system, and cost isn’t becoming a barrier.”

Thiessen adds that the transit system is still growing, and service adjustments could be in order if demand continues to increase the way it has.

“I think it’s well overdue, a decision council made with administration and obviously we’re reaping the rewards of it by more usage. For me, personally, I’d like to see a circuitous route for transit that would take people kind of like an express bus system to all the major spots in Grande Prairie.”

Council and administration say they will continue to work on improving the efficiency of the current bus system, and annual reviews combined with biannual updates to the system will continue depending on the needs of the community in the future.

Indigenous Veterans Day founder Randi Gage was in attendance at Grande Prairie’s sixth annual Indigenous Veterans Day ceremony at the Veterans Memorial Gardens and Interpretive Centre. Numerous Indigenous, municipal, and provincial leaders were also in attendance to observe the ceremony.

Gage made the trip from her home in Manitoba to speak on the status of the event across the country and share stories of her times as a veterans advocate.

After starting the day in 1994 in Winnipeg, Gage has travelled across Canada to advocate for Indigenous veterans, and she says her trip to Grande Prairie is meaningful as it shows her advocacy spreading outside of Manitoba.

“This was beautiful, this is probably, other than the very first one, this one was fantastic,” she says.

According to Gage, she started the day as a result of racial prejudice and tense Canadian Armed Forces-Indigenous veterans relations following World War II.

“You gave up your treaty rights, you never got your treaty back when you came back from the war; what happened was you came back from the war and you went back to being a ‘damn Indian’.”

Gage says while awareness surrounding Indigenous veteran mistreatment is improving, there is still a long journey ahead, as the day is still only officially recognized in Manitoba, and concerns surrounding the day’s proximity to the Remembrance Day holiday.

“I would like to see the mainstream population understand that this day is not taking anything away from Remembrance Day. It’s giving us as Indigenous, Aboriginal, Native veterans the chance to go and be with our comrades.”

“What you’re remembering on that day [Remembrance Day] is so hurtful, and this day, they wanted it so they could keep their history in their community.”

During the ceremony, two new memorial statues commissioned by local artist Grant Berg were blessed and dedicated by an Indigenous elder, alongside Gage.

Those driving on 100 Avenue will notice new foliage, as the City of Grande Prairie has planted more than 80 trees along it. The city says the groves were planted on between 116 Street and 112 Street to address the need for more greenery in the area.

According to a statement from the municipality, planting the trees “aligns with the City’s ongoing commitment to creating a more sustainable and inviting urban environment for residents and visitors alike.” Mayor Jackie Clayton adds it is an investment to expand and preserve the city’s urban forest.

“In support of this goal, additional trees are already in the planning stages for planting in the fall of 2024, reinforcing the commitment to sustainability and the creation of an urban environment that all residents can enjoy.”

Funding for the tree planting came from the city’s capital budget.

The County of Grande Prairie has opened up opportunities to help residents hit the ice this winter. It is accepting applications for both its Neighborhood Ice Surface Program and to use a stormwater pond for an ice surface.

For a neighbourhood to be eligible for either, at least four volunteers must be named on the application form. By doing so, they commit to installing, maintaining, and removing the ice surface. In the case of the stormwater pond, the group would also be in charge of testing the depth of the ice surface to ensure it is safe for use.

When it comes to the neighbourhood ice surfaces, the community will have to identify where the water for the ice surface will come from, whether it is an already existing Aquatera infrastructure or volunteers who are bringing water from off-site. Before the skating rink is built, the county will inspect the proposed site to ensure the area works for a skating rink.

After the rink has been built, the county will conduct another inspection, ensuring that all rink requirements are met, and once skating season has ended and the rink is removed, the county will do another inspection to ensure the area wasn’t damaged and left tidy. Applications to use a stormwater pond for recreation close November 30th, while the Neighborhood Ice Surface Program applications close December 31st.

The living wage for Grande Prairie has decreased by nearly a dollar per hour compared to last year. On November 8th, the Alberta Living Wage Network released new living wage calculations for 16 Alberta towns and cities based on the necessary hourly wage a worker needs to earn to cover their basic expenses and have a “modest standard of living” after tax.

Grande Prairie took the third-lowest spot on the list at $18.90 per hour beaten out only by Red Deer at $18.75 and Medicine Hat at $17.35. Last year, Grande Prairie’s calculated living wage was $19.65 per hour.

Despite the decrease in Grande Prairie, the ALWN says most municipalities saw an increase due to rising costs across the province. Cities like Calgary and Edmonton have been calculated at $23.70 per hour and $22.25 respectively, while Canmore topped out the list by nearly double the provincial average at $38.80.

According to the ALWN, the calculation is based on the needs of three household types: two-parent families with two young children, lone-parent families with one child, and single individuals, assuming adults are working full-time hours and expenses like child care.

Two Peace Country politicians are speaking in favour of the province’s plan to create four new organizations as part of the healthcare system. Premier Danielle Smith announced the changes Wednesday, including a new Alberta Health Services board.

The new board will be led by Dr. Lyle Oberg and will reportedly be primarily focused on acute care services. This will include hospitals, cancer care centres, clinical operations, surgeries, and emergency medical services. 

The four new organizations will focus separately on primary care, continuing care, acute care and mental health and addictions. 

Despite the additional organizational bodies, Smith says Alberta healthcare will still be a single system. She says there will be a focus on protecting jobs throughout the transition and to expect “streamlining in the management layers.” 

City of Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton says she has advocated for a change to the healthcare system, as it needs to be made sustainable for not only the current needs in the province, but future needs as well.

“I am encouraged by the elements within the plan, and I am extremely optimistic it will produce the outcomes we are looking for and that our residents need.”

Peace River MLA and Minister of Mental Health and Addiction Dan Williams says when it comes to having one group focused on mental health and addiction supports, it should help create more of these services for Albertans to access.

“The direction we are taking Alberta is caring for Albertans and supporting them in their pursuit of recovery.”

No dollar value was put on the transition and Health Minister Adriana LaGrange says it will take time for the changes to have an impact on Albertans seeking care. The new organizations are set to be in place by fall of 2024. 

A regional recreation organization is hoping a visual revamp that includes the launch of social media channels will help get the word out to the community about what it does. The Grande Prairie Regional Recreation Committee aims to highlight the different recreational opportunities that can be found throughout the region.

It has existed since 2017 is made up of six different municipalities in the region, including the City and County of Grande Prairie and the Municipal District of Greenview, along with the Towns of Wembley, Sexsmith, and Beaverlodge. However, Coordinator Helen Garland says that until recently, they were not on any form of social media.

“This is something we thought would be a great way to get our committee out there and let people know what we are because we actually have been around since 2017, but it is getting people to know us a little bit better,” she says. “Our goal is to have one central location on social media where people can find activities and events that are outside of their municipality but still within a short drive, expanding the number and the type of opportunities that exist for them.”

Along with the visual overhaul and the launch of the social media page, the committee also created Recreation Rex, as mascot to serve as the new face of the committee.

“He is a way that people can connect with the committee because, obviously, we are a committee that is made up of government. He was chosen because most people love dinosaurs, he is really easily identifiable, and our region has a very special connection with dinosaurs.”

They are also holding a social media-based scavenger hunt to help acquaint the community with the Rex and the organization.

“They need to find Recreation Rex at one of his various locations, and they can find out where he is that week by following us on social media, and then snap a photo of him either with or without them and then they post it to Facebook or Instagram and tag us @gpregionalrec.”

Rex has been at Grande Prairie Activity and Reception Centre, the Crosslink County Sportsplex, and the Nuvista Energy Centre in Beaverlodge so far. More information can be found on the committee’s website.

Concerned Swanavon residents have pushed the discussion about the construction of a new recreation building in the area to 2025.

In 2023, Grande Prairie city council approved $500,000 in funding for the construction of a multi-use and multi-season covered outdoor structure. However, after concerns from residents of the neighbourhood, and discontent with the original design among councillors, administration was tasked with coming up with alternative options.

Councillor Chris Thiessen says he is pleased with the additional options but says higher price tags have given some members some pause.

“I think originally we were blown away by the first cost of the [first design] and these other covered outdoor structures are a bit more glamourous; they definitely come with a bit more of a multi-million dollar touch,” he says.

Four additional options have been presented on top of the original design, with costs ranging between $2.7 million and $5.9 million, compared to the original cost estimate of $1.1 million.

Additionally, Thiessen expressed concerns about the potential location of the structure, saying putting the facility in a residential area like Swanavon would only bury it and discourage residents from around the city from using the amenity.

“As much as I like building up the neighbourhoods, we also have a neighbourhood rink program that currently is undersubscribed. I want to make it accessible to as many people as possible, and not make it a neighbourhood amenity, but a community amenity.”

According to Thiessen, council is actively searching for sponsorship opportunities to help mitigate the cost of the more expensive options, but no paperwork has been signed as of yet.

“I think council always envisioned some type of sponsorship arrangement and I know that administration has worked very hard to lock down some of those. There are some potential sponsors out there, but we haven’t signed anybody on yet so it would be too premature for me to disclose any of those discussions.”

Council is scheduled to discuss the matter further in its November 14th meeting.

Crews have started pruning trees across Grande Prairie. The city says the plan is to address tree maintenance needs in the area.

College Park, Copperwood, Countryside South, Mission Heights, Royal Oaks, Westgate, Centre West Business Park, and Vision West communities should be covered over five months.

Mayor Jackie Clayton says the work is meant to keep the aesthetic of urban greenery while helping protect tree health as crews can catch issues or diseases that are popping up.

“By maintaining our urban forest, the City of Grande Prairie ensures that trees remain in good health, reducing the likelihood of pests and disease while enhancing the natural beauty of our surroundings.”

Tree pruning will begin in November of this year and is scheduled to wrap up next April.