Due to a lack of physician coverage, the Beaverlodge Municipal Hospital emergency department will be without physician coverage Friday, November 3rd starting at 8 a.m.

According to Alberta Health Services, nursing staff will be on-site in the emergency department during the closure, doing urgent triage and assessments and providing referrals to other emergency departments in the region. All EMS calls are being rerouted to the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital, 42 kilometres away.

The provincial health authority is also reminding residents that some services can be provided by their local pharmacies and to call Health Link at 8-1-1 anytime with all non-emergency medical questions.

The emergency department is scheduled to reopen 5 p.m. the same day.

The Grande Prairie RCMP is inviting residents to town halls at Teresa Sargent Hall over three days in November to give community members the chance to voice their opinions and concerns about the status of policing in the city.

According to the RCMP, the goal of the open houses is to establish a working relationship between residents and officers to help the RCMP better serve the community. Superintendent Lee Brachmann says while stats and numbers can be valuable for police, community voices are what matter most.

“Our policing stats and crime stats tell one side of the story, but we really want to know what people are really seeing and hearing in the community,” he says.

“Getting their input on not only what are some of the issues, but working with us collaboratively to identify some potential solutions, whether that is police only, or working with the community collaboratively on joint solutions.”

Brachmann adds that the town halls will give police the opportunity to update the public on future RCMP priorities and crime trends observed in 2023.

“We are looking to connect with the community by providing information on our structure, what we’ve been doing, the priorities we’ve been advancing in 2023 and some of the crime trends we’ve been seeing.”

Additionally, residents who attend the meetings will have the opportunity to engage with the RCMP directly in a question and answer period following presentations.

“We want to solicit their feedback in terms of what’s going well, what are opportunities for improvement.”

“We all live and work in the Grande Prairie community, and we want to make sure we are hitting the right notes and keeping this city as safe as we can.”

The three town halls are scheduled for November 7th from 12:30-2:00 p.m., November 15th from 7:00-8:30 p.m., and November 30th from 4:00-5:30 p.m.

There will be no physician on-site at the Fairview Heath Complex Emergency Department for 12 hours starting Fiday morning.

According to Alberta Health Services, the lack of physician coverage will start at 7 a.m. November 3rd, and will wrap up at 7 p.m. the same day. However, the provincial health authority will cancel the disruption if sufficient coverage is found.

Nursing staff will remain on-site to provide triage and assessments. EMS calls will be re-routed to surrounding facilities, including the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital.

AHS is also reminded residents they can contact 811 at anytime about non-emergency health questions.

As Remembrance Day approaches, ANAVETS and the Grande Prairie Legion are both holding ceremonies to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Those taking part in the outdoor ceremony will start the day at 10:30, with staging and breakfast the Holy Trinity Church, before a parade finishing at the Jubilee Park Cenotaph where a full service, including a moment of silence will take place.

Meanwhile, at the Bonnetts Energy Centre, ceremonies are scheduled to begin with a Colour Party Parade and continue in the afternoon at the legion from 12:30 to 5:00 with lunch and awards ceremonies.

First Vice President of Unit 389 Lorne Scobie says annual Remembrance Day events like these are important for the community, especially for young people.

“It’s important for the younger generations to realize that the freedoms they have today, people fought and died for them, young people have to realize, that is the cost of freedom.”

“If we forget, and don’t honour them, the ones that didn’t come home, they died in vain.”

Scobie adds that he hopes for a good turnout, and for everyone to bow their heads in silence for two minutes on the 11th.

The Alberta Medical Association (AMA) has started to push the provincial government to invest in and nurture the medical industry after a years-long struggle, including that felt in northwestern Alberta.

According to the AMA, more than 50 practitioners operate in Grande Prairie, across 24 practices, and  AMA President Dr. Paul Parks says the first step to stabilizing the medical industry in the north is incentivizing doctors to train and stay in communities this size.

“The first struggle is getting on the radar, getting on the map, and increasing training,” he says.

Parks adds that rural communities across Alberta have made continued efforts to develop creative ways to encourage physicians and family doctors to lay down roots in smaller communities. He says solutions including affordable operating space and overhead assistance for practices have proven to be effective for smaller communities but, without support from the provincial government, municipalities simply can’t keep up.

“Things have changed, in the past municipalities wouldn’t really get involved in healthcare and definitely wouldn’t get involved in operations of healthcare.”

“We really have to work on stabilizing the practices we have in these smaller communities, and then really invest strategically that will encourage physicians to go set up full family medicine type practices in the smaller communities.”

According to the AMA, there is “strong interest” in increasing training for medical students and residents in northern Alberta, centered out of Grande Prairie Regional Hospital. Parks says the process may take up to seven years, but completion will provide a long-term solution for the Peace Country.

“That will be a massive bonus for recruitment for people coming here and seeing what it would be like to stay and plant roots where they’re training.”

“If we can do more strategic investing where physicians can build strong teams around them and have more colleagues and specialty consultants who support their care, then that becomes a snowball where it really helps move forward on recruitment and retention.”

Currently, the AMA is pushing the Government of Alberta to commit to a stabilization investment for medical practices by the upcoming 2024 budget with hopes of having a concrete commitment from the Province as early as February.

UPDATE: Police responded to suspicious vehicle reports in Berwyn and recovered the stolen truck from Fairview. 

Stolen tubs of fuel and the flat deck trailer involved in the Grimshaw incidents remain missing and community members are asked to contact Fairview or Peace Regional RCMP. 

Fairview and Peace Regional RCMP are asking for the public’s help in tracking down a vehicle after reports of a vehicle theft and fuel theft over Halloween weekend. On October 29th, Fairview RCMP responded to a report of a stolen 2005 Chevrolet Silverado in the area of 91 Avenue in Fairview.

According to police, there is no surveillance footage available and no suspect description. However, the vehicle is believed to have been taken between the evening of October 28th and sunrise on October 29th.

The truck is described as a grey 2005 Silverado with Alberta plate 26N454 and a black push bar with a slip tank in the box.

On October 30th, Peace Regional RCMP responded to reports of theft of fuel over $5,000 from a business in the area of Township Road 840 and Highway 35 in Grimshaw. Police say they have obtained surveillance and confirmed a match with the stolen vehicle reported on October 29.

As a result, Fairview and Peace Regional RCMP are asking anyone in the area to review security or dashcam footage and contact RCMP with any additional information of value to assist police with identifying any possible suspects or locations of the vehicle or stolen fuel.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Fairview RCMP at 780-835-2211 or the Peace Regional detachment at 780-624-6611.

The Wembley Fire Department’s “Stache for Cash” event is back for a second year to raise money for the Resource Centre for Suicide Prevention in Grande Prairie. Just in time for Movember, members are growing out their upper lips in support of mental health awareness for people in the community.

Wembley firefighter Mike Moon says the first detachment member’s stache will be shaved once a $200 donation limit is received, and staches increase by $10 until all of them are sold.

“What we’ve always said is you can either buy the whole moustache and have the whole moustache for yourself or you can just buy a piece of it and once they reach that total then they’ll shave it off.”

Moon adds that the event is an important part of mental health awareness in northern Alberta due to the nature of trades work and emergency services.

“Obviously in our profession, there’s no shortage of trauma and triggers for mental health, so having people that are willing to speak out about it and support the groups that are advocating for it is really important.”

Cash donations are accepted at the Wembley Fire Department during operating hours, or through the Wembley Firefighters Association. 100 per cent of the proceeds from the event will go towards the Resource Centre for Suicide Prevention.

The Grande Prairie Downtown Association is attempting to make it easier to shop local during the holidays as it enters its second year of the new gift card program.

Last November, the based organization replaced the paper system it used for more than 20 years with cards that work more like a debit card. Executive Director Wendy Bosch says before making the move to the new program, the organization looked for something that met the criteria of being reliable, along with protecting both customers and businesses. With that, it landed on a program that is based out of Sweden.

“We were one of the first in western Canada to get this off the ground, and it’s a fantastic process. It’s far less cumbersome than the paper gift cards we had in the past.”

Bosch adds when a gift card is purchased, it can be used at businesses in the City Centre, including traditional places such as clothing or goods stores and coffee shops, but also non-traditional places such as a counselling or chiropractic office.

“It’s a tangible investment in our community, it’s supporting local, it’s a local currency that is reliable and protected, so everyone feels comfortable using it,” she adds.

Bosch adds when someone purchases a gift card, they are helping support local businesses and giving those businesses the ability to go up against the Amazons of the world.

Gift cards can be purchased online or in person at the Downtown Association office.

The number of homes sold in Grande Prairie saw a nearly 50 per cent bump in September compared to the same month in 2022.

According to the Alberta Real Estate Association, Grande Prairie saw 137 homes sold in September, with most being detached homes. The average price to buy a residential property in the city in September was $337,455, an 11 per cent uptick from last year. However, according to the AREA report, the number of new listings and inventory saw a year-over-year decline, with 149 listings going 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.

During this year’s holidays, Odyssey House expects to support between 70 and 90 families through its Adopt-A-Family program. Executive Director Lisa Watson says that the program started to ensure their families would have a happy holiday, as it can be a time of mixed feelings for families.

“This program is 100 per cent successful because of the amazing and generous community that we live in. Grande Prairie steps up every year, and while it’s only November, it does take a bit of time and effort and match the right sponsor with the right family.”

As of the last week of October, the organization had more families signed up to be part of the program than it did sponsors. Watson says they hope to get the word out to the community. The size of families up for adoption varies from a family with two members to a family with at least six.

“The program also includes things like a holiday meal, and that really is reflective of our community, with affordability being one of the top issues we are addressing.”

Last year, more than 70 families were supported through the program, with $40,613 worth of gifts, groceries, and essentials donated. Watson says in previous years they have seen up to 95 families participate.

Sponsoring a family ranges from $375 to $1,150, depending on the size. More information about the program can be found by contacting Odyssey House.

Residents are being asked for their input about the city’s future, as city officials are looking to gather feedback on the draft amendments to the Municipal Development Plan.

According to the City of Grande Prairie, the drafted amendments focus on “land-use, transportation, and community well-being.” City administration used input taken during community consultation, including conversations with residents and different stakeholder groups were included in the drafting process. Mayor Jackie Clayton says having residents’ input in the next step of the process is important in creating the document.

“Your perspectives are invaluable in ensuring that our Municipal Development Plan aligns with the vision we collectively share for our community.”

The drafted amendments, a breakdown of the public consultation, and a public feedback page can be found on the City of Grande Prairie website. Residents can submit their feedback online until Thursday, November 12th.

The La Glace and District Agriculture Society is pushing to have the new arena in the hamlet completed by the end of 2025. Members of the society have been working to get funding and build the Tamarack Valley Regional Recreation Facility for more than a decade.

Ag society member Laurie Sandboe says the building and structure are up but, there are still a few significant projects that need to be completed inside before the facility completely replaces the old recreation centre. Two key projects that need to be completed are installing the ice plant and the kitchen that will turn into the hamlet’s restaurant. Sandboe adds that completing these projects takes funding they are still trying to secure.

“If the arena doesn’t get finished and starts depreciating because we can’t get funding, this is our biggest fear. We need close to $6 million to complete the project, but that could be negotiable as we have changed the plan from our original trying to save money and get the basics up.”

Sandboe says in the past 38 years, La Glace has only had one U-15 team. This team had to find ice in other communities because the size of the ice surface in the old arena, which was built in 1972, does not have a regulation-size arena. In the other years, kids over 13 have gone to play in surrounding communities or quit.

She adds, in theory, there is the option for communities to book ice at the Crosslink County Sportsplex in Clairmont, but the ice is regularly booked by not just County of Grande Prairie teams but groups from the City of Grande Prairie as well.

“Our old facility will not hold up, and when that goes we lose as a community the hub of our centre and other communities that come here.”

Though the new facility is not entirely done, Sandboe says the space has been rented out in any way you can think of to rent out a building and utilize a cement pad. To date, the society has brought in $4.7 million, including grant funding from the county and the Government of Alberta, of the $11 million needed for the project.

Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton was among half a dozen mid-size city officials to call on Premier Danielle Smith for more influence in decisions that affect municipalities.

Mayors representing Cochrane, Leduc, Airdrie, Spruce Grove, St. Albert, and Canmore joined Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton in Leduc for their annual Fall 2023 Mid-sized Cities Mayors Caucus (MCMC) meetings to reaffirm priorities, advocate for a provincial partnership, share resources, and determine next steps.

According to the MCMC, members of the caucus have concentrated their focus on five areas of mutual interest including: Safety and wellness, healthcare, housing, building relationships, and equitable capital funding.

MCMC Chair Cochrane Mayor Jeff Genung says the caucus has asked the Premier for a “dedicated liaison” into the provincial government.

“We want to be a partner with the Province to move important fiscal, social, and infrastructure priorities forward,” he says.

The MCMC is scheduled to host their first annual conference in Canmore in January 2024.

Grande Prairie city council has directed administration to negotiate and execute a lease with Rogers for a new 5G cell tower on the Community Knowledge Campus. Despite the adherence to Health Canada safety standards, concerns surrounding the proximity to the sports field in the area led to a discussion between councillors at Monday’s meeting.

As a result, council opted to direct administration to undertake a thorough review of the City’s Land Use Bylaw. However, Deputy Mayor Kevin O’Toole says he doesn’t expect it to be a lengthy process.

“I think a lot of that information will be very quick and easy to find.”

According to the City, the proposed location is approximately 200 metres away from the nearest residential property, and O’Toole adds that the location is currently in need of stronger coverage options.

“The area in town that is in question, you couldn’t get good cell phone coverage, you couldn’t get downloading ability, when they put that [tower] in, it made a huge difference for the home businesses, the people, the students.”

Because the property is city-owned, once the lease is executed, the anticipated income for the deal is $10,000 per year.

The value of building permits issued in Grande Prairie in September saw a significant bump compared to the same month in 2022.

According to the latest numbers from Invest Grande Prairie, there were 64 building permit permits issued in September of 2023, up 47 per cent from last year. The permits are worth over $13.7 million, also seeing a month-over-month increase, with 59 building permits issued in August worth $12.3 million.

According to Invest GP, to date, in 2023, the value of building permits issued has declined by 25 per cent compared to the same time frame last year.

The City of Grande Prairie has announced the return of the “How did the chicken cross the road?” contest to promote road safety among students.

In partnership with the Safer Roads Alliance, the contest seeks to ensure that Grande Prairie youth are educated and aware of road safety while expressing their creative side.

The contest is open to all K-12 Grande Prairie students and submissions from a variety of mediums such as drawings, paintings, short videos, or photographs.

Prizes are available across three age categories: Kindergarten to Grade 3, Grade 4-7, and Grade 8-12. First prize in all three categories is $500, $300 for second, and $200 for third. The winners will be selected before noon on November 24, 2023.

Full contest details and entry information will be available on the City’s website on November 1, 2023.

A new program for teenagers in Beaverlodge is focused on more than just teaching life skills.

The “Skill and Chill” Pilot program runs the second Thursday and Friday of every month and is broken into two parts. Program Coordinator for Beaverlodge FCSS Reanna Stockman says the first part happens on Thursday night when the group learns a new skill, with Friday being the ‘chill’ night.

“It is supposed to be like a fun evening of socialization of peers, and a [opportunity] to build lasting friendships within a safe and supportive environment.”

Stockman says she got the idea for “Skill and Chill” from a similar program she saw being run in Lac La Biche and thought it was a great idea, especially since there is no other scheduled programming catering directly to the 13 to 17 age group. She adds this program ideally fills that need, especially for the kids who don’t play sports.

“For this demographic, there really is not a lot going on for them if you aren’t into sports, so that is where we first initially thought of this. Then, for FCSS, it has to have some sort of preventative nature in it, so that is why we came up with the skills because it met the mandate for that and then chill because we don’t always want it to be you are coming here to learn and do work.”

The program, run by the Town of Beaverlodge and the Beaverlodge FCSS, launched in October with a special effects makeup skills lesson on Thursday and movie night on Friday.

Other “Skill and Chill” activities range from learning to change a tire and check vehicle fluids to cooking activities and a karaoke night. Stockman adds there will also be a learner’s licence prep course through the program that will be held on a Saturday instead of a Thursday.

The program is free to attend both nights, but it costs $5 to only attend the Friday chill night; pre registration is required.

Reeve Bob Marshall will have another year at the helm as he was acclaimed as Reeve of the County of Grande Prairie as part of it’s annual organizational meeting on Monday.

Marshall, who was first elected to council in 2013, will continue on in the role for a second consecutive term, after replacing former County of Grande Prairie Reeve Leanne Beaupre, who was in chair for nearly a decade until 2022.

“I’m humbled by the support of my fellow Councillors and honoured to continue to serve as Reeve,” Marshall says.

Marshall will be joined by newly elected Deputy Reeve and first term Division 7 Councillor Brian Peterson, who was voted on by his peers to take on the role.

“This Council already has a positive and productive working relationship,” Peterson says. “I’m proud to be able to use my skills and experience to support our work ensuring the County remains a great place for residents and business to live, work, and thrive.”

Peterson takes over the position from Peter Harris, who served as Deputy Reeve since 2019.