Council Highlights: April 13, 2026

Catch Council on Monday, April 13, 2026?
 
Here are some highlights:
 
• S/Sgt. Lacey Blair presented an RCMP report summarizing activities from October to December 2025. You can see the stats and details in the agenda.
 
• Representatives from the Holy Family Catholic Regional Division presented about their school division and its role in the community.
 
• Council gave first reading to the Meeting Procedures Bylaw. A key change includes moving the 'Comments from the Public' section up earlier in Council meetings, affording members of the public a more convenient way of addressing Council at meetings.
 
• Pat Fisher, Director of Infrastructure and Development, provided an update on the 101 Street Repair project. Administration is currently working with our contractor for construction management and oversight of the project, which will likely result in a request for decision coming forward to Council for a budgetary increase due to the increased scope of work for site oversight and required inspections.
 
• Council directed Administration to fund the additional RCMP FTE (1) in the amount of $182,000 from the general operating reserve. Through the Town's Municipal Police Services Agreement with the Government of Canada, the Town has 12 established full-time equivalent officer positions, including the Community Liaison Officer, which is shared with Northern Sunrise County. However, each year, the Town pays only for positions that are actually filled. For the past two years, the Town has been paying for only 10 positions on average, as two were not filled with active officers. In March 2026, the Town received notice that an officer was returning to work and filling one of the two vacant positions, which Council has now approved to fund.
 
• Council passed the 2026 Tax-Supported Operating Budget, setting the municipal requisition (tax) increase at 2.5 per cent. You can see the news release at https://www.peaceriver.ca/news/town-peace-river-council-approves-2026-b…
 
• Council issued $50,000 in Grants to Organizations, using up all of the 2026 budget and suspending the program for the remainder of the year. Recipients include $5,000 for the 10 Acre Shaker Festival; $5,000 for Alberta Pond Hockey; $5,000 for Community Futures; $900 for Peace Association for Life Long Learning; $1,000 for Peace Regional Hockey Tour; $5,000 for Peace River Boating Association; $5,000 for Peace River Curling Club; $900 for Peace River Wahoos Winter Swim Club; $10,300 for Rotaract River Days; $5,000 for the Royal Canadian Legion; $6,000 for the Tri River Triathlon; and $900 for the Underground Music Society.
 
• Tanya Bell, Director of Community Services, updated Council on the River Edge Vegetation Assessment. In late 2024, the Peace River Boating Association proposed the removal of vegetation along the east side of the river, extending from the Heart River bridge to the North End boat launch. The Town anticipates the project beginning in early June 2026, with the report delivered by early fall. The report will outline options and identify implications associated with potential vegetation removal and ongoing maintenance.
 
• Council approved tax cancellations for several organizations in lieu of a processing error for COPTER (Community Organization Property Tax Exemption Regulation) exemptions. You can see the full list in the agenda package.
 
• Roxane Guindon, acting Director of Corporate Services, informed Council of the revocation of one organization from the COPTER exemption, as it was noted they do not meet the criteria.
 
• Deputy Mayor Brad Carr submitted a notice of motion to direct Administration to contact the Mackenzie Municipal Services Agency and inquire about what is required to apply for membership and report back at the next meeting of Council. Notices of motion are first presented at a Council meeting and then brought forward to the next regular Council meeting for Council to deliberate and vote whether they want to action the notice of motion.
 
• Council then engaged in a workshop regarding river break-up and how to declare a State of Local Emergency, before heading into closed session.
 
• Council directed the Mayor and Deputy Mayor to present the completed Chief Administrative Officer Evaluation to CAO Barb Miller in a timely fashion.
 
• Council appointed Hugh Black and Allen Gukert to the Peace River Policing Committee for three-year terms, and Dwayne Buchholtz for a two-year term.
 
Always more!
 
But for that you'll have to read the agenda, which is here: https://peaceriver.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/?expanded=9574,154743…