A frost advisory is now in place for the GP surrounding area. Environment Canada is advising people to cover up plants, especially those in frost-prone areas.
Frost advisories are issued when temperatures are expected to reach the freezing mark during the growing season, leading to potential damage and destruction to plants and crops.

The Grande Prairie RCMP is seeking public assistance in finding a suspect allegedly involved in a road rage incident on September 27th.

According to police, at approximately noon, officers responded to reports of a road rage incident at the intersection of 84th Avenue and 108th Street, when a male was assaulted by another male.

Law enforcement suggests the suspect was driving a black Chrysler 300 with a tinted license plate cover.

Anyone who was in the area at the time, witnessed the assault, or has dash cam video is asked to contact the Grande Prairie RCMP at (780)-830-5700 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers.

The Grande Prairie Northreach Society is encouraging residents to give them a call if they find any “substance-using” supplies in the community for cleanup.

According to Northreach’s Harm Reduction Team Lead Lindsay Loset, substance-using materials can take a variety of forms including syringes, spoons, foil packets, tourniquets, or inhalation devices like bubble pipes.

“It can be hard to distinguish [foil] sometimes because in the community there’s also foil burger wrappers and other stuff, but we can usually tell if somebody has used it to smoke substances off of,” she says.

Loset maintains that the initiative is a critical part of the work Northreach does as they supply those with substance use disorder with a means to use drugs safely.

“It’s just for community safety, and just because we distribute the supplies, we want to make sure that they are disposed of properly too,” she says.

In addition to cleanup services, Northreach also provides education and tools for individuals and businesses to clean up their property; however, Loset maintains that cleaning up substance-use materials is never an expectation.

“It’s totally up to people’s comfort, we offer safer needle pickup training, and we can provide our disposal bins to individuals or businesses so if they are comfortable with picking them up, we will provide the supplies and the training to do it properly,” she says. “If people don’t feel comfortable with it, we don’t expect them to pick them up, and we would never want an uncapped needle or something like that on a playground or something.”

The Team Lead adds that high-traffic areas have been identified throughout the city, and insists that her team “tries their best” to ensure those areas are a top priority when it comes to cleanup services.

“We do have hotspots within the community that we try our best to sweep regularly, so sometimes people call to let us know there is debris in an area that we know about, but we can’t always keep tabs on everything, but we try our best, and that’s something for the community to know about, that we are actively always trying to get ahead of any debris in the community,” she says.

Anyone in need of a cleanup on their property, or who has noticed another area in need can notify the Northreach Society at (780)-538-3388.

CN will be installing new overhead signal masts and signals on the recently installed poles at the 108th Avenue rail crossing on September 30th.

The project will result in temporary detours for drivers and bus users. The city suggests variable message boards will be displayed in advance to help guide traffic and the work is expected to take one day depending on the weather.

Drivers heading eastbound are asked to detour at 98th Street, heading south to 99th Avenue or continuing north to 116th Avenue. Drivers heading westbound are asked to detour at 96th Street before heading south to 100th Avenue or continuing north to 116th Avenue.

When it comes to transit, Route 7 will be detoured along 99th Street between 116th Avenue and 108th Avenue. Stops 748, 750, 752, 754, and 756 will be inaccessible during the project. Passengers are instead asked to use Stop 758 or the Prairie Mall route.

Officials maintain that pedestrian access will remain open.

A Peace River local has taken home the $219K Lightning Lotto prize after purchasing a ticket in Edmonton.

Darryl Calliou took home nearly $220K and says he heard about a Lightning Lotto win in High Prairie and decided to give it a shot, before winning big on his first try.

Calliou describes a feeling of disbelief when he saw the screen light up, and immediately told his girlfriend about the massive prize.

“I bought the ticket and watched the screen, I was like, ‘Wow!’ I couldn’t believe it,” he says. “I don’t even know what we’ll do with this, we’ll pay some bills and go from there I guess.”

Calliou’s win marks the sixth top progressive Lightning Lotto prize in Alberta since the game launched in April. After his win, the total Lightning Lotto winnings in the province is now more than $3.5 million.

Calliou purchased his winning ticket at London Drugs located at 1494-8882, 170th Street in Edmonton. His winning numbers were 14, 15, 33, 34, and 38.

The City of Grande Prairie is continuing its progress on stormwater infrastructure upgrades in several neighbourhoods.

On September 27th, 102nd Street between 120th Avenue and 121st Avenue will fully close to speed up underground work.

Officials suggest the closure could last between two and three days, depending on the weather, and without any “unforeseen circumstances.” Detours will also be in place to direct traffic, and pedestrians are asked to follow the marked cones.

Numerous detours will be in place as a result. Southbound traffic will be redirected at 121st Avenue to bypass the work zone, traffic moving northbound will detour on 117th or 116th Avenue, and local traffic will be maintained heading north on 102nd Street between 117th and 120th Avenue.

Residents are asked to direct any questions to Access GP by phone at 3-1-1.

Following the Government of Alberta’s announcement regarding the Capital Accelerator Plan, the Grande Prairie Public School Division has announced its intention to work with the province and GPPSD administration to develop an updated capital plan in April. 

The provincial accelerator program announced earlier this month will increase the K-12 capital budget to $8.6 billion over three years. 

GPPSD officials say the announcement is a welcome one for the Peace Region, as student enrollment continues to climb, and Grande Prairie continues to hold its spot as one of the youngest cities in the province. 

The public school division credits “out of province and international migration” with the current school year’s growth, and officials maintain they expect the trend to continue based on recent growth predictions for the region. 

According to the GPPSD, the number of zero to 14-year-olds in the city is expected to grow by around 19 per cent, marking the highest growth rate in the province. As a result, GPPSD officials suggest the trend will continue, fuelling the need for additional classroom capacity. 

Right now, GPPSD high schools are operating at around 92 per cent capacity during the 2024-25 school year; however, if trends continue, high schools could be operating at around 101 per cent capacity by the 2028-29 school year, and at around 103 per cent capacity by 2030. 

In response, GPPSD Superintendent Sandy McDonald says the Board of Trustees has “reinforced” the space pressures on students in the division during their recent meetings with local MLAs and Provincial Minister of Education Demetrios Nicolaides.

“Our division appreciates the implementation of the province’s Capital Accelerator plan, as we have a number of capital needs driven by the consistent growth we’ve faced,” he says. 

Additionally, GPPSD administration will soon meet with officials from Alberta Education to discuss adding permanent additions to Grande Prairie Composite and Charles Spencer High School to keep them top of mind when it comes to future funding announcements from the province.

Grande Prairie is under a wind warning.

Strong winds with gusts up to 90 km/h are expected today. Winds will strengthen later this morning and weaken by evening.

Damage to buildings, such as roof shingles and windows, may occur. Loose objects may be tossed by the wind and cause injury or damage. Motorists, especially in high-profile vehicles, may expect hazardous driving conditions on highways subject to strong cross winds.

City facilities will have adjusted hours of operation on September 30th due to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation holiday.

On Monday, City Hall, the City Service Centre, Bonnetts Energy Centre, Montrose Cultural Centre, the Grande Prairie Museum, Dave Barr Community Centre, Activity and Reception Centre, and Cedar Point will close in recognition of the holiday.

Despite the closures, the Ernie Radbourne Pavillion at Muskoseepi Park will remain open on holiday hours from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., along with Eastlink Centre, and the Design Works Centre, which will operate during the same hours.

The city maintains that transit will operate under holiday hours on September 30th, with regular service running from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and late-night, on-demand service from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The Grande Prairie Kidney Walk went off without a hitch over the weekend, and Kidney Foundation officials are suggesting the well-attended event surpassed even their highest expectations.

Executive Director for Northern Alberta and the Territories Branch of the Kidney Foundation, Flavia de la Fuente says she is “thrilled” that Grande Prairie showed so much support during the walk.

“We were thrilled at our second annual in-person Kidney Walk in Grande Prairie to have the community come out and support us in that way, it was wonderful to hear Mayor Clayton say that was the biggest event outside that she’s attended this summer,” she says. “We are just so appreciative that the community came out to support the kidney and transplant patients that we serve.”

Ahead of the walk, the foundation reported they were around 80 per cent of the way to reaching their $25K funding goal. Since then, the Executive Director said she is “happy to report” that the foundation is now on track to surpass their goal.

“I am happy to report that we have reached our goal, and it looks like we’re going to surpass it,” she says. “The way the Grande Prairie community reached the goal, it looks like we’re going to surpass it, it is just thrilling.”

Fundraising efforts typically remain open for one month after the walk to allow any interested individuals to continue supporting the foundation ahead of the Christmas season.

“All of that [funding] makes the impact that it gets back to the patients we serve for all of the programs, the groceries, the medication, the equipment, it goes on and on, and that support generated allows us to continue to support the patients in those ways,” de la Fuente says.

Interested parties who could not make it to the walk can still donate to the Kidney Foundation on their website.

Northwestern Polytechnic announced the signing of an Indigenous Education Protocol on September 25th at the Douglas J. Cardinal Performing Arts Centre, marking the school’s continued efforts to bring Indigenous learning techniques into its curricula.

NWP officials describe the protocol as a “historic agreement,” signed by representatives from both NWP and the school’s Circle of Indigenous Students.

The agreement was initially signed in 2018 and outlines eight principles that will now guide a collective agreement to improving, and better serving Indigenous education methods.

NWP President and CEO Dr. Vanessa Sheane says she was “honoured” to update and formalize a renewed Indigenous Education Protocol for her institution.

“Education is a powerful tool for reconciliation and this protocol reflects our commitment to embracing Indigenous knowledge, fostering inclusivity, and ensuring that the voices and perspectives of Indigenous communities are not only integrated but celebrated,” she says.

The event included a variety of Indigenous cultural and heritage activities, including a “powerful” drumming session led by Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation member Clinton Soto.

The date is set for a joint public hearing regarding the City and County’s recently drafted Intermunicipal Development Plan.

The Intermunicipal Development Plan is described as a long-term, strategic plan required by the province that outlines a vision for development near municipal boundaries. The City and County have been updating their existing IDP since 2019.

During the hearing on October 15th, both County and City council members will have the chance to ask questions about the draft IDP. Residents are encouraged to attend and share their opinions on the proposal, and after the hearing, each council will review the feedback and decide on the approval of the draft IDP during their regular meetings.

The hearing is scheduled from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Teresa Sargent Hall in the Montrose Cultural Centre.

Residents can review the final draft of the IDP before the hearing, or attend the upcoming open house on October 7th. The drop-in event runs from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Teresa Sargent Hall at the Montrose Cultural Centre.

Nineteen firearms, including four handguns, were kept from hitting the streets of Grande Prairie after an alleged break-and-enter attempt was foiled by ALERT Grande Prairie’s organized crime team.

According to law enforcement, the ALERT team charged two suspects on September 11th after a lengthy investigation and charge approval process.

ALERT says the break and enter was attempted on July 31st, and saw a total of 19 firearms being stolen from a home in Patterson Place. Four handguns, five rifles, and ten shotguns were being stolen, along with nearly 500 rounds of ammunition. ALERT maintains that the firearms were lawfully owned and properly stored.

The investigation was launched just weeks before the event when ALERT received information regarding the home and firearms, and ALERT Grande Prairie Staff Sergeant Tim Fralick credits the “timely intelligence” coming to his agency ahead of the incident for allowing his team to make the arrests.

“Our enforcement action prevented these firearms from finding their way to the streets and being introduced to the criminal element,” he says.

Both the Grande Prairie RCMP and the Grande Prairie Police Service were involved in the investigation.

As a result of their investigation, charges were laid against 40-year-old Tasha Lanz, and 42-year-old Denai Lanz and include alleged break and enter, possession of a restricted firearm, and possession of a loaded firearm. Denai’s whereabouts are currently unknown and a warrant has been issued for their arrest.

Grande Prairie Enforcement Services is urging drivers to keep safety “top of mind” when driving in school zones after doling out 200 speeding tickets in the first two weeks of the school year alone.

According to GPES, on top of the 200 speeding tickets, nine tickets for parking violations were handed out in school zones during the same timeframe, and 31 drivers received verbal warnings.

As a result, enforcement services are reminding residents that school zones are in effect from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on school days and the maximum speed limit in those areas is 30 kilometres per hour.

The same rules and speed limit are in place for playground zones; however, playground zones are in effect between 7:30 a.m. and one hour after sunset every day of the week.

Additionally, GPES says it is illegal to pass another vehicle moving in the same direction in both school and playground zones when the rules are in effect.

Peace Officer Sergeant Ryan Hoffman from GPES says the hope is that the number of tickets in school zones will fall as drivers get used to school zone rules throughout the rest of the year.

“The safety of children in our community is of the utmost importance and we urge drivers to use extra caution when near schools and playgrounds,” he says.

Drivers are asked to exercise caution in areas where children frequent by knowing and obeying the 30 kilometre per hour limit, taking extra care at intersections or crosswalks, and staying prepared to stop at any point while driving through school and playground zones.

City of Grande Prairie construction crews will begin asphalt crack sealing on September 26th in various locations throughout the city.

Officials suggest crack sealing is a “proactive measure” to preserve road surfaces and prevent more significant damage, all while expanding the lifespan of the city’s roads.

The city says the process is fast-moving and helps reduce the need for more extensive and disruptive road work in the future. Capital Construction Supervisor Mark Hoseasson says the maintenance work serves to ensure the city’s roads maintain a strong level of long-term durability.

“We’re committed to maintaining the quality and safety of our roads while minimizing disruption to daily traffic,” he says. “Crack sealing is a quick and effective solution to protect our infrastructure from moisture infiltration.”

As a result, single-lane alternating traffic will be implemented in areas where crack sealing is underway; however, drivers should only expect “minimal” traffic disruptions on their commutes.

The project is expected to last for five days depending on the weather, and drivers are reminded to reduce speed in work zones and follow all posted signage to ensure the safety of crews.

The Aquatera Outdoor Pool is officially closed for the season after three months of summer fun.

The pool kicked off the season during the Here Comes Summer event on June 7th with free public swimming, a community barbecue, outdoor games, and roller skating.

Aquatera and the city kept the summer fresh with new offerings each week, including Friday night theme nights, $2 youth night, aquatics classes, Grande Access pass holder night, evening swim lessons, and private facility rentals.

Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton calls the facility a “focal point” for the community during the summer.”

“Thanks to City staff for their hard work keeping the Aquatera Outdoor Pool open for as long as possible so visitors had swimming opportunities in the City during the Eastlink Centre’s annual aquatics maintenance shutdown,” she says.

Throughout the summer, the pool saw approximately 19,348 visitors, including 110 community and school bookings. Additionally, the pool hosted three free community swim events with more than 1,700 visitors including Canada Day celebrations.

The city maintains that residents will not have to go without their morning swim for much longer as the Eastlink Centre Aquatics area re-opens on September 28th.

Grande Prairie City Council will be advocating the province for additional funding to support the Grande Prairie Fire Department’s idea for a new “Fire-Paramedic Response Unit.”

GPFD Chief Mark VanWerkhoven says after being directed by the city to come back with some options, his department determined the most beneficial to the GPFD would be a new firefighting/paramedic vehicle to take some of the strain off of both departments.

The Fire-Paramedic Response Unit will operate by having an Advanced Care Paramedic and a firefighter together in an SUV to provide what VanWerkhoven describes as a “higher level of care” while fire crews await EMS’ arrival.

“What we’re finding on occasion is that when the EMS system is challenged, and the demand is exceeding the available EMS resources or those resources are responding for places outside the city, we’re finding our fire trucks and our firefighters are on scene for an extended period of time providing that initial care,” he says. “This provides us with a means to provide that care at a higher level while ensuring our core firefighter resources are available to deploy to other high-priority incidents within the city.”

The Fire Chief maintains that this project is something that could be completed within a year, and has a lower initial cost than some of the other options presented. He says the project would see no cost from the taxpayer in Grande Prairie; however, the new model would only move forward depending on available funding from the province.

“We currently receive some level of funding for our medical response program to the tune of around $130,000 last year, we anticipate we’ll receive that again for the next couple of years, they’ve committed to a three-year funding cycle,” he says.

Should the province only provide partial funding, or none at all, the city has kept the door open to explore options during a budget discussion in the future.

A pair of construction projects will result in some traffic delays throughout the County of Grande Prairie.

Construction on Range Road 53, north of Township Road 714 to the city limit will continue as scheduled with some changes for drivers to be mindful of. The project is expected to be completed by October 31st, depending on the weather; however, moving forward, traffic on Range Road 53 will be restricted to local traffic only until the project’s completion.

During this time, drivers are asked to detour using Range Road 54 to the west, or Range Road 52 to the east. County officials maintain that access to Harry Balfour School from Township Road 714 remains unaffected.

The second project will see construction on Resources Road, south of Township Road 704A, with the expected start date of September 26th.

As a result, speed will be reduced in the construction zone and traffic will be reduced to a single alternating lane.

The county urges all residents to obey all signs and flaggers, exercise extreme caution, and allow for extra time during construction.

Talks of another no-confidence vote for the current Prime Minister are heating up in parliament once again, and Grande Prairie-Mackenzie MP Chris Warkentin says he believes Canadians are simply “fed up” with Trudeau’s Liberal Government.

Prime Minister Trudeau’s approval rating has continued to fall since he was re-elected in 2021, dropping from 63 per cent when he was first elected in 2015, to 28 per cent this June.

Canada’s next federal election is expected to commence sometime next October; however, Warkentin and his colleagues say they are hoping to force one “sooner than later.”

“Canadians are fed up with this government, they can’t afford the taxes that have been piled on, the challenges that have been presented by this government, namely, and one of the largest ones that really has affected every Canadian as well as every small business owner across the country is the Carbon Tax,” he says. “Small businesses that are been brought to their knees, if not going out of business because of this additional tax.”

The federal price on carbon has been met with significant backlash by the Conservative opposition since the Liberals introduced the carbon levy at $20 per tonne in 2019. While Warkentin admits the money has gone to some successful projects, he says opening up both small and big business would lead to “many more” investments in communities.

“Yes, there have been limited investments, but frankly, we could be so much stronger and have so many more investments if we unleash business, I think it’s important for families to be able to make decisions based on what’s in their own best interest,” he says.

Warkentin adds that many Canadians across the country have notified him and his colleagues, saying they can no longer afford to heat their homes in the winter as a direct impact of the Carbon Tax.

“We have seniors in our communities that are turning the heat down to, in some cases, 13 degrees during the winter because they cannot afford to heat their home,” he says. “This is not only unfair, it’s unethical.”

When it comes to the question of whether the upcoming American election in November will have any impact on politics north of the border, Warkentin holds the belief that Canadians are more focused on domestic issues like affordability.

“I’m not certain that politics off of the border will have any kind of an impact,” he says. “I think the biggest issue that Canadians want to tackle is, domestic issues, issues of affordability here in Canada, the ability to buy the essentials, to heat our homes, for folks to be able to afford homes and continue to have an opportunity and prosperity for the generations to come.”

Warkentin stands by his party leader Pierre Poillievre who has continued to speak up in Ottawa against the carbon tax, and says the Conservative “common-sense” alternative is something “Canadians have been hungry for, for years.”