Red Deer Minute: Environmental Plan, Budget Feedback, and Old Parking Meters

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

This Week In Red Deer:

• There will be a meeting of City Council on Tuesday at 10:30 am. Council will discuss the Red Deer Environmental Master Plan, a document guiding the City's environmental initiatives. The plan outlines six focus areas - water, waste, energy, ecology, community design, and air - with specific goals and actions to improve environmental performance. Council will also discuss the 2024 Adopted Capital Cash Flow Budget. The City has a total capital budget of $122.945 million for 2024, which is distinct from the annual capital cash flow budget, which is set at $92.477 million. The cash flow budget provides a current overview of all capital projects the City has committed to, based on projected expenses for ongoing projects.
  
  
• The Audit Committee will meet at 1:00 pm on Wednesday. The Committee will review a self-evaluation report, before going into a closed meeting to discuss a legal matter.
  
  
• The City is still seeking resident feedback on the 2025 Operating Budget. To address a $17 - $19 million budget gap, Council has proposed 24 potential budget changes and is considering new funding sources and cost-saving measures. Citizens can participate through a survey and an interactive “Fund It” tool to allocate their tax dollars across different services. The survey closes October 22nd.

Last Week In Red Deer:

• The old parking meters from the City of Red Deer got a new purpose thanks to the Alberta Motor Association (AMA). These meters will now collect micro-donations for the AMA Community Foundation, supporting various causes across Alberta, including food security and community safety. The initiative also includes a holiday campaign called Fill Our Fleet, where AMA will match donations up to $100,000. Donors can support local food banks by donating directly at the repurposed meters, online, or at AMA centers throughout the province.
  
  
• Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre announced changes to traffic flow and parking as construction on the parkade and hospital redevelopment continues. The West public parking lot will be closed, and hospital access will be reduced to two entrances. The entrance from 52 Avenue will close, while the one-way entrance from 50A Avenue will allow traffic to exit onto 39 Street. Additionally, a portion of the Cancer Center's parking lot will be designated for cancer patients and their families. The changes begin on October 15th. For ongoing updates about the construction, visit the Alberta Health Services website.
  
  
• Toni Gravelle, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada, visited Central Alberta to engage with local businesses and organizations regarding the economic landscape. His discussions included visits to various stakeholders, including a local carrot farm and Care for Newcomers, aiming to gather on-the-ground insights to complement larger economic data from Statistics Canada. He pointed out concerns about growing red tape and labour shortages, particularly in the specialized trades. This outreach effort is part of the Bank of Canada's initiative to foster a better understanding of its role and gather diverse perspectives on the economy.

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