Red Deer Minute: Election Day, Hog Production, and Fire Ban Lifted

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

This Week In Red Deer:

• Today is Election Day! If you're over the age of 18, are a Canadian citizen, and an Alberta resident, you can cast your vote today! Full details of eligibility criteria are listed here on the Elections Alberta website. You must vote at your designated polling place, all of which will be open 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. You can find your designated polling place using your postal code here on the Elections Alberta website. If you have questions or have trouble navigating the Elections Alberta website, please just reply to this email and we’ll help out if we can.
  
  
• You will need to prove who you are to vote, and the main way to do this is using a valid government-issued ID that includes your photo and your address. Alternatively, you may use two pieces of ID with a combination of information, and in certain circumstances you may be able to vote using an attestation instead. A full list of acceptable ID types are listed here on the Elections Alberta website.
  
  
• Our friends at the Alberta Institute have a section on their website where you can confirm that you've voted and then share that with your friends on social media and by email to encourage them to vote too!

Last Week In Red Deer:

• Red Deer has lifted its fire ban as recent rains and cooler weather have significantly lowered the risk of fire in the city, but the City is still advising caution. All current bans, restrictions, and advisories can be viewed online.
  
  
• Olymel has announced that it will be reducing hog production in Western Canada. However, there will be no job cuts at the Red Deer plant, as staff cutbacks will be limited strictly to their farms. While fewer hogs will be sent to Red Deer from Olymel farms, the plant can procure animals elsewhere to keep the jobs intact.
  
  
• There was a ground-breaking ceremony for the new mosque in the Timberlands neighbourhood. The 500-person mosque will also serve as an Islamic community centre, as the current Red Deer Islamic Centre in Deer Park only holds around 100 people but has 1,000 members. The president of the Central Alberta Islamic Cultural Association believes this project will be key in more Muslim families settling and staying in Central Alberta. The association has been raising money to build the $2.5 million mosque for several years.

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