Red Deer Minute: Construction Displeasure, Emergency Backlog, and Energy Efficiency Rebate

Red Deer Minute: Construction Displeasure, Emergency Backlog, and Energy Efficiency Rebate

 

Red Deer Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Red Deer politics

 

This Week In Red Deer:

  • This morning, there will be a City Council Regular meeting at 10:30 am. On the agenda is a 2022 Budget Amendment in light of a grant being provided by the Federal Building Safer Communities Fund. The City of Red Deer is eligible to receive $2.1 million over the next four years to be allocated toward gun and gang crime. Before adjournment, a public hearing regarding land use amendments will begin at 5:00 pm.

  • On Tuesday, the Public Art Commission will meet at 5:00 pm. The majority of the meeting will be held in-camera. The Council Agenda Review Committee will meet on Thursday at 12:00 pm to discuss the draft agenda for the September 29th Council meeting.

  • Thursday will also be Agency Day. No agenda is posted yet, but Agency Days take place throughout the year and are an opportunity for community agencies to provide an update on their activities to council and the public.

 

Last Week In Red Deer:

  • The Energy Efficiency Rebate Pilot Program officially launched. The program is designed to help residents improve energy efficiency and reduce their consumption. A $50 rebate is available for those who install a smart thermostat, and a $100 rebate can be claimed by eligible residents who install a high-efficiency dishwasher. One of each type of rebate is available per utility account and the deadline to apply is December 31st, 2022. More information is available on the City’s website.

  • Some Red Deer business owners expressed their displeasure with the continued construction along 49th Street, with a reported 90% decline in business volumes in some cases. The City is replacing a water main and the work has been ongoing since mid-July, tearing up the sidewalks of local storefronts. If the work was affecting the operations of the City, rather than businesses, you can bet it wouldn't have taken this long! The business owners are calling for the City to provide financial compensation.

  • A photo was shared on social media showing a 14-hour wait time at Red Deer Regional Hospital’s emergency room. Alberta Health Services said that the emergency room was extremely busy over the long weekend and that summer long weekends can pose challenges for staffing. Wait times had returned to around three hours by Monday afternoon. Meanwhile, to address the surgical backlog, the Province announced that more surgeries will be taking place in the Red Deer area. Alberta Health Services will be contracting more privately-owned chartered surgical facilities to provide hip and knee replacements and general surgeries. These will remain publicly funded.

 

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