The Beaverlodge Municipal Hospital Emergency Department will be temporarily without on-site physician coverage from 8 a.m. April 18th to 8:00 a.m. April 19th.

AHS says nursing staff will remain in the ED to provide triage, assessments, and referrals for patients to alternate emergency departments in the region.

EMS and 9-1-1 remain available to the community and residents are reminded to contact Health Link at 3-1-1 for 24/7 non-emergency health-related questions.

Additionally, patients seeking care at the Beaverlodge ED may be able to find support at local pharmacies.

Another step in the transition to a municipal police force has been made as the Grande Prairie Police Service unveiled what the new squad cars and uniforms will look like before they officially hit the streets.

The new uniforms boast a black-on-black design with a prominent red stripe down the officer’s pant leg and GPPS Chief Dwayne Lakusta says the new uniforms mark a “milestone” for the police service and certain design choices were made to emphasize the change from the RCMP to the GPPS.

“We’re staying in line with a lot of our municipal partners, right across Alberta when it comes to the colour of the vehicles, the red stripe and black uniforms,” he says. “We also want to present change, we’re presenting a change in the policing deployment model here and going to a municipal service, we want to have our differences as well so we stand out to the community.”

Currently, the RCMP retains jurisdiction in the city; however, the first GPPS class of experienced officers will hit the streets this spring, while the RCMP remains the primary operating police service. Chief Lakusta says the vehicles will primarily serve as a recruiting and training tool for the GPPS for the time being.

“We have to remember that the RCMP remain the primary policing jurisdiction, they’re going to be responding to all the calls for service for the foreseeable future, but you will see our vehicles out on the road for the most part for training, transporting our members around, but we’ll also see them in the downtown core sooner than later,” he says.

Additionally, Lakusta has confirmed another order for ten vehicles has been placed, which should be received by September. The Chief says it is important that the GPPS focus on the assessment of needs before ordering additional vehicles preemptively.

“We want to be running a very efficient police service so we’ll be conducting an assessment of how many vehicles we need for our purposes,” he says. “More vehicles will be marked, we’ll be looking at a number of those, but we’re also going to be needing vehicles that will be unmarked, used for investigative purposes or other enforcement activities.”

The official transition from RCMP jurisdiction to the GPPS is scheduled for March 30th, 2026, with increased collaborative efforts between the two agencies in the meantime.

The City of Grande Prairie formally introduced its new Fire Chief on April 16th.

Chief Mark VanWerkhoven was named Chief of the Grande Prairie Fire Department in March and says he is “honoured” to continue his service in the City of Grande Prairie.

VanWerkhoven has a wealth of experience in public service, working as Deputy Chief of Communications and managing Grande Prairie’s 9-1-1 service in his previous role. The new Chief also served in the Canadian Armed Forces, STARS, and EMS and Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton says she is “excited” to see VanWerkhoven continue to advance his career.

“We’re really excited to welcome Chief Mark onto the team and we’re really proud to see him work his way up the organization,” she says. “He brings a broad spectrum of experience and will be an incredible addition to the Fire Department.”

VanWerkhoven replaces former GPFD Chief Preben Bossen, as Bossen heads into retirement after a 40-year career in firefighting.

“We wish Chief Bossen all the best in his retirement,” the mayor says.

The new Chief marks only the 11th in GPFD history, which Mayor Clayton says shows the commitment to firefighting every Chief has shown during their time with the Fire Department.

“It’s a similar story in the sense that Chief Bossen was with the organization in various roles for many years, so it’s great to see people investing and really committing to not only the Grande Prairie Fire Department but to Grande Prairie as a whole.”

VanWerkhoven took on his new role on March 20th, 2024, and says he is “excited” to continue the legacy of the GPFD.

Funding is not the issue when it comes to policing in rural Alberta but rather a boots-on-the-ground problem according to the province.

Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis says the Alberta RCMP is approved to have 19,011 members, but there are currently only 14,098 leaving just shy of 5,000 spots vacant. Ellis says despite the roles remaining vacant, they are still being paid for.

“The solution on recruitment is with the contract service provider, which is the RCMP,” Ellis says.

He adds that the RCMP is working to increase their recruitment by doing things he says they have never done before including attempting to station recruits in their home province if possible. Ellis says by doing this it is helping the RCMP meet the needs of a younger generation. However, even with these recruitment efforts, there are still some areas that do not have 24/7 coverage.

“It is not for a lack of support for the RCMP, and this is not just a problem that they are having in Alberta but throughout Canada.”

Ellis says this is where the province is focusing on augmenting and supporting these rural communities through actions such as Bill 11, the Public Safety and Emergency Service Statutes Amendment Act. An independent police agency would be created through this bill to help augment and support other police agencies in the province through police-like functions that are being performed by the Alberta Sheriffs. He explains this will help so when those in some rural Alberta communities call 911 and there is a sheriff that is five minutes away versus an RCMP officer that is two hours away the sheriff can answer the call.

“You have talked to me about boots on the ground, and officer presence matters, and there are times that in some areas in rural Alberta that there is no coverage and if I know that then you know that those wanting to commit the crimes know that as well.”

As well Ellis explains that municipalities can also apply for a $30,000 grant to examine options for the future of their communities and survey the needs of their community. He says this allows the municipality to decide what is best for their community because it is not as easy as just “writing out a check to fix the issues.”

“Grande Prairie kudos to them, they did a very thorough study on what was best for their community. So they saw that they could get more coverage for cheaper and that is why you are seeing them move forward with a Grande Prairie Police Force.”

According to the minister, these measures are areas that the province can focus on to help augment the issues until all the authorized RCMP positions are filled.

Centerpoint Facilitation is hosting a unique art showcase for their previously unhoused, and developmentally disabled clients.

From April 22nd to May 15th, Grande Prairie residents are invited to participate in Centerpoint’s first annual Art Exhibition Tour, where downtown businesses will feature 25 framed pieces of art from five different Centerpoint clients available for sale with 100 per cent of proceeds going towards the artist.

Centerpoint features two branches, with the first supporting homeless initiatives, and the second supporting developmentally disabled clients called the “Just Enough Support Program.” Program facilitator Cindy Trepanier says the exhibition comes as an awareness campaign for both the facility’s clients and Grande Prairie residents alike.

“We put it out to the people that we support and asked- hey is anybody wanting to display your art in the downtown core? Just to bring awareness to the population we provide support to,” she says. “This is the first time we’ve ever done it so we’ve tried hard to make sure everything is very organized and put together.”

The showcase ends on May 16th with a special Art Gala to raise awareness at the Grant Berg Gallery in Grande Prairie.

The Grande Prairie and District Catholic School Division has announced the appointment of a new principal for St. Joseph Catholic School.

Danielle Campbell will serve as the school’s principal effective immediately. Campbell has been an educator within the GPCSD since 2012, serving as Principal of Clement Catholic School, Assistant Principal for St. John Paul II, and Classroom Support Teacher at Mother Teresa Catholic School.

Campbell’s instruction style is described as “differentiated,” through her active engagement with the diverse needs of her students and her building connections with them.

“I am very honored to be joining the team at St. Joseph Catholic High School,” she says. “Getting to know the students and their families will be the most exciting part as I become a member of their school community.”

The GPCSD says they are excited to have Campbell at St. Joes, and her “enthusiasm” for inclusive education, evidenced by her dedicated efforts to make sure every student is valued at her school.

It’s that time of year again when Grande Prairie’s water gets a familiar, sometimes unpleasant smell and taste during the spring, but Aquatera says this is nothing to be concerned with.

Every spring, Grande Prairie residents can expect their water to take on what is described as an “earthy or chloramine” smell and taste.

According to Aquatera Utilities, the warmer weather conditions often lead to spring run-off getting into the city’s water supply. Officials say this is due to additional water from the snow melt getting into the Wapiti River (the city’s water supply), often bringing with it decomposed organics such as grass and leaves from the winter.

Additionally, Aquatera credits a faster river flow from the melted snow leading to silt and debris getting into the water supply.

Rest assured, Aquatera says the water remains “completely safe” to drink; however, some residents may wish to get rid of the unpleasant taste altogether.

As a result, Aquatera suggests running taps longer before consumption, filling water pitchers to be kept in the fridge, or squeezing lemons and other fruits into the water to mask the taste. Odours coming from the drain or sink can be solved using household drain cleaners to reduce the smell.

Aquatera says the problem is only temporary and should be over within a matter of weeks, depending on consistent weather conditions.

The Grande Prairie Public School Division has nominated United Way Alberta Northwest for the Alberta School Boards Association Friends of Education Award.

The award nomination marks a recognition of individuals and organizations that enhance education within Alberta communities.

According to the GPPSD, United Way played an “influential” role within the city’s education system for years through its programs such as the “Tools for School Program” which helps students access necessary school supplies, nutrition programs, and assistance for students with developmental disabilities and the “Period Promise Program” which provides students with essential menstrual products.

GPPSD Superintendent Sandy McDonald says the nomination highlights the support United Way has shown to education in Grande Prairie through its partnership with the GPPSD.

“Their commitment to the well-being and success of all youth in the city positively impacts the education community, and we greatly appreciate their partnership in this essential work,” she says.

The award winner will be announced at the Alberta School Boards Association’s Fall General Meeting.

The City of Grande Prairie has issued a word of caution for residents to be proactive in wildfire mitigation, and to be prepared for the upcoming wildfire season.

According to the city, Grande Prairie is preparing for hotter and drier weather this season once the late-season snowfall clears. Officials have shown concerns regarding the combination of dry conditions and forecasted weather patterns that will “heighten the potential” for wildfires.

As a result, the city is asking residents with properties located near wildland areas or near city parks to be “most prepared” on what to do in the event of a fire such as how to report, what to do when a fire is seen, and how to prepare for an emergency.

Grande Prairie Fire Chief Mark VanWerkhoven says residents who see an uncontrolled blaze in the city should immediately call 9-1-1 and be prepared to describe the location of the flames and their location in relation to the blaze during the call. Additionally, all residents are asked to keep 9-1-1 lines clear of non-emergency items during the wildfire season.

“GP911 and GPFD are ready to do our part and [are] grateful to serve a community as resilient and resourceful as ours,” Chief VanWerkhoven says.

The GPFD is also recommending residents clear debris and flammable vegetation from around their property, create emergency kits with enough supplies for 72 hours, prune tree branches, consider purchasing an air purifier ahead of the smoky season, and ensure all smoking materials such as cigarette butts are completely out before putting them in the trash.

UPDATE: Water services to the Willow Grove area were restored at 10:30 a.m. on April 16th.

County of Grande Prairie staff have responded to an unplanned water outage in Hythe, affecting the Willow Grove water system.

Officials say an update will be provided when further information becomes available.

Questions and further information is available through the Transportation and Utilities Department at (780)-532-7393.

In response to rising costs of living for families in Grande Prairie, Aquatera has announced a temporary pause on infrastructure charges for new multifamily developments connected to Aquatera infrastructure.

The infrastructure charge was initially implemented in 2005 as a contribution to new development towards the costs of providing water and wastewater infrastructure to support community growth.

Aquatera CEO says the decision to pause the charges comes as an effort to promote economic development and growth in Grande Prairie.

“This decision is part of our ongoing commitment to stimulate economic development, promote sustainable growth, and support the development of affordable housing in the region,” he says.

Beginning immediately, Aquatera will implement a two-year relief on infrastructure charges within the Grande Prairie region in support of the construction of new multifamily developments such as apartment buildings, duplexes, and attached dwellings.

According to the utility provider, multifamily residence applications received after February 15th, 2024 through December 31st, 2025 will be eligible for the program.

Aquatera says the water meter fee will still be applicable to cover the cost of installation of an “appropriately sized” meter, determined by the company when considering average monthly consumption, demand, and range of flows.

It was a packed house at Clarkson Hall on April 12th as athletes and coaches from around Northwest Alberta were recognized at the 2024 Sports Excellence Awards.

Dozens of athletes, coaches, and officials were nominated across twelve award categories who displayed excellence in their sports during the 2023 season.

Among the award winners, the Grande Prairie Storm Junior A Hockey Players captured the Spirit of Sport award for their philanthropy across the city such as specialty charity game nights, building connection with Grande Prairie youth, and others.

Brandon Wells, Assistant Coach and Goaltending Coach for the Grande Prairie Storm represented the organization during the evening and says the award is quite meaningful as it recognizes the countless hours of community efforts from the team.

“It’s a very big award for us, we try and help out in the community as much as possible whether it’s through allowing other organizations to come and raise money at our games and going to classrooms and reaching out to kids and reaching out to kids at a young age,” he says.

Wells says working with youth in particular stands out as a highlight from the year, citing the benefit of getting kids involved in sports as early as possible.

“Organized sports are a great thing for kids at a young age, it teaches a lot of life lessons that I think go unnoticed and I think we do a great job of getting our guys out to local schools and interacting with them and showing them that they can one day be a Grande Prairie Storm.”

Local volleyball coach Leanna Graham was “honoured” alongside basketball coach Dennis Farn when she received the award for Developmental Coach of the Year, recognizing her commitment to her athletes and their development as both players and future coaches.

“I was always a multi-sport athlete and having a mentor and coach that helps you develop is so important, when I coach I always try to teach my athletes the importance of eventually becoming a coach themselves,” she says. “If I can be a great mentor and help them develop in their sport and hopefully become great athletes but also great coaches.”

Additional award winners include Reeghan Funk (Female Athlete of the Year), Emmanuel lloka (Male Athlete of the Year), Wayne Zack (Outstanding Official), Shane Zehya (Coach of the Year), Cathy Craipley (Unsung Hero), Grande Prairie Piranhas Swimming Club (Team of the Year), Deng Ngor (Junior Male Athlete of the Year), Awein Ngor (Junior Female Athlete of the Year), Gerald Hafner (Sport Builder), and AA Reds Provincials (Event of the Year).

A search warrant executed by numerous Grande Prairie RCMP entities has led to a significant drug bust and three arrests.

According to police, members of the Grande Prairie RCMP Drug Section, RCMP Police Dog Services, and RCMP Crime Reduction Unit executed a search warrant at a residence in Countryside South.

As a result of the search, police seized 110.4 grams of cocaine, $23,378 in cash, and what police are calling “drug trafficking paraphernalia.”

Following the investigation, 19-year-old Edmonton resident Jamal Mustafa, 56-year-old Sangudo resident Lenz Thorsten, and 45-year-old Whitecourt resident Dawn Purschke, have been charged with alleged possession for trafficking and possession of proceeds of a crime.

All three have been released on conditions and are scheduled to appear at the Alberta Court of Justice in Grande Prairie on April 29th.

The Peace Regional RCMP has charged a 21-year-old Grimshaw man after an alleged theft of property and fuel incident in March.

According to police, members of the Peace Regional RCMP were made aware of “suspicious transactions” on fuel cards that occurred in numerous locations in Grimshaw, Peace River, and Fairview. Investigators say the transactions occurred over the course of several months and amounted to more than $20K in fuel.

The RCMP obtained surveillance footage which revealed in addition to the fuel, two stolen trailers were located in Grimshaw, which were recovered after a search warrant was obtained by law enforcement.

As a result of the initial investigation, 21-year-old Grimshaw resident Gessi Tywon James Larose was charged with several crimes including alleged possession of property obtained by crime, over $5,000, four counts of possession of property obtained by crime, less than $5,000, two counts of theft over $5,000, assault with a weapon, and others.

Larose was brought before a Justice of the peace and is currently in police custody with a court appearance scheduled for April 15th.

Police say the investigation is still underway and the RCMP is seeking help from the public. Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact the Peace Regional RCMP at (780)-624-6611 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers.

It’s a muddy spring for many Sexsmith residents after fibre optic lines were installed in the community over the winter.

As the snow melts away in the Peace Country, muddy yards and streets are often a welcome sign of the summer for residents in Alberta’s north; however, one frustrated Sexsmith resident, Susan Cooper says this year is a little different.

“It’s all down the street on my street, it’s by the church, it’s down by the walking trail, they didn’t cover up the holes,” she says.

Over the winter, telecommunications company Canadian Fibre Optic installed numerous fibre lines around the town as part of their ongoing connectivity campaign across the Peace Region, which left some Sexsmith residents frustrated with the state of their yards as the weather warms up.

Sexsmith Mayor Kate Potter says she understands where the frustrations are coming from, and the town has been working “very closely” to get a cleanup project started.

“We tried to work with them very closely, with telecommunications and fibre optics, that’s a federally regulated field and so the town doesn’t have a lot of influence there, but one thing we have found with Canadian Fibre Optics, we continue to work with them, I know they’ve been proactive in the community trying to get the message out that they want to come and fix some of the issues that happened over winter,” she says. “From our perspective, we’ve seen the proactiveness, but of course, it does take time and I think that’s probably the frustration with the early melt this year, it doesn’t look nice.”

Mayor Potter says the muddy season is unsurprising, but through engagement with neighbouring communities who had fibre lines of their own installed, she says the town is “confident” that the mess will be dealt with soon.

“Whenever you do construction there’s always this messy, muddy time that goes with it, but all the other communities were very happy with the repair work that Canadian Fibre did so we’re assuming that they will maintain that same reputation with us,” she says. “There’s a plan in place, it might be a little longer than what they were hoping to get those repairs done, but overall there is a plan in place and things will move ahead and be repaired, we’ve not seen any indication that won’t happen.”

Despite the Mayor’s words, Cooper says she is still frustrated with how the situation has been handled so far, citing a “lack of public engagement” regarding the project in the first place.

“I didn’t ask them to do the job,” she says.”You dug up my front yard, you in the back alley, you drove down it when it was saturated so now I’ve got all these heaves in my backyard so all the water from the snow melt now goes into my backyard.”

In response, Mayor Potter says she is encouraging residents to reach out to the company directly with any concerns when they come up, and ultimately, should residents feel unheard, Potter says to reach out to her directly.

“We really want them to work directly with the company because what the company has represented to us is that they want to repair it and make it right,” she says. “Let us know as a town especially if it’s on public property, it’s not something they have crews driving around looking for something so when they see something let us know.”

Potter adds that while there is not yet a definitive timeline for cleanup to take place, residents can expect to see cleanup crews in the community “within the next number of weeks.”

On May 10th, students at the Robert W. Zahara School will perform their take on the classic tale Mary Poppins.

“Mary Poppins Jr.” is a musical featuring a cast of Robert W. Zahara School students between grades two through six based on the stories of P.L. Travers and Walt Disney with original music by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman.

The production also marks a special occasion for Director and Choreographer Clara Girvan. Mary Poppins Jr. is the ninth musical production at RWZ and will be Girvan’s last production before her retirement.

Girvan describes the journey to the play’s production as a “long road” with production starting in 2020 and delays from COVID-19 but both she and her students say they are quite excited to perform.

“Rehearsals were well underway when we had to cancel due to the pandemic,” she says. “We hoped we would one day be able to complete our work, and now here we are four years later working on the production.”

As a result of the delays, three grade one students from 2020 have returned to take on larger roles as grade five students.

Opening night is scheduled for May 10th at 7:00 p.m. at the RWZ gymnasium and shows are planned for May 11th at the same time and May 12th at 2:00 p.m. Doors open thirty minutes before the show and Tickets are available from the school office for $5 each.

County census workers are scheduled to hit the road on April 15th to help residents complete the census in person at the front door.

The County says all that is required of residents is the PIN card that was delivered to county residences earlier in April. Residents who have not received a PIN card by April 12th are asked to call the County Census Coordinator at (587)-726-1686.

Officials say the census is necessary to establish an official number of residents in county municipalities. Upon completion of the census, the county will use the data to better understand the community and how to serve the population as it changes.

Additionally, an official census will ensure the county receives appropriate grant funding from the province which in turn, will inform local service needs and attract new economic development opportunities.

The census requires six questions and residents can complete the survey online or in person through a census worker.

The annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women five-kilometre walk/run is returning to Grande Prairie for the sixth year.

The Grande Prairie Friendship Centre has hosted the event since 2018 as a way to raise awareness and honour the lives of the hundreds of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls around Canada.

According to the GP Friendship Centre, the rate of homicides against First Nations women and girls is six times higher than the rate of their non-Indigenous counterparts. One Grande Prairie Friendship Centre official says the run serves as an important reminder of those lost and presents a unique opportunity for residents to walk in solidarity with them.

“It’s open for anyone, and we encourage everyone to come out and support and wear red,” she says.

The 5K is scheduled for May 5th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Muskoseepi Park Amphitheater. Registration opens up on the 5th for $10, and the first 200 registrants will receive a commemorative medal.

The County of Grande Prairie has issued the first fines related to fire restriction violations following the recent upgrade from Fire Advisory to Fire Restriction for the region on April 9th.

Officials say they are urging all residents and visitors to strictly adhere to current restrictions which include burn permit requirements and avoiding burning when winds reach speeds more than 12 kilometres per hour.

The recent fines were related to burning activities such as burning without a permit and leaving fire pits unattended. The county is reminding residents who choose to burn that even with a permit, no fires are permitted when winds are more than 12 kilometers per hour. Over the past week, winds have reached speeds as high as 65 kilometres per hour.

“We are asking everyone to be vigilant, educate themselves on restrictions in the area, and help spread the word so we can prevent fires in these extremely dry conditions,” County Fire Chief Trevor Grant says.

County Reeve Bob Marshall adds that the county has taken a completely preventative stance on wildfires heading into the warm season, and is now discouraging residents from burning at all whenever possible.

“We really want to encourage people not to burn, be very cognisant of the hazards with things being as dry and windy as they are, and we really want to minimize the impact that has on the overall community,” he says. “If fires get out of control, we don’t want to end up where we were last year.”

The county says they are actively communicating with existing permit holders and anyone with inquiries regarding the restriction is asked to contact the county fire service online or by phone at (780)-532-9727.