Red Deer Minute: Issue 210

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 this morning at 10:30 am. On the agenda is a recommendation from the Ad Hoc Economic Development Committee. The Committee has completed its initial mandate and presented a final report recommending the creation of an arm's-length economic development organization. Council is being asked to extend the Committee’s work under a new name - the Economic Development Arm’s Length Organization Transition and Implementation Committee - until January 30th, 2026, with an updated Terms of Reference. The Committee will focus on developing a business plan and strategy to guide the new organization’s implementation. A list of 10 Committee members representing various sectors is included for reappointment.
  
  
• Council will review a report outlining the process for disestablishing its only Business Improvement Area (BIA), the Downtown Business Association (DBA), in response to a Council request from April 2025. Only taxable business owners within the BIA can vote on its disestablishment, which can be initiated either by Council or through a petition signed by at least 25% of those businesses. The process is legislated and would take approximately 4-6 months, involving preparing voter lists, conducting a vote, managing contracts, and potentially finding alternative governance and funding models. If the vote passes, the DBA would be dissolved, assets and liabilities settled, and bylaws repealed, with any outstanding costs potentially recovered through a special tax. The City currently collects $297,000 annually from the BIA tax levy, with service contracts worth $312,335 in place with the DBA. Administration estimates the disestablishment would require $20,000-$25,000 in staff time and up to $8,000 for communications, not including any liabilities or future service delivery costs. A broader downtown funding strategy is expected from the Downtown Governance Committee in Q3 2025, and provincial BIA regulation changes are also anticipated by the end of the year.
  
  
• Council will hold a Public Hearing today at 5:00 pm as the final step in considering whether to transition the City’s Electric Utility into a Municipally Controlled Corporation (MCC). This marks the culmination of over three years of work under the Utility Governance Modernization project, which began in 2022 with a review of alternative governance models. After extensive analysis, Council directed in 2024 that an MCC model be explored further. Since then, the City has conducted a comprehensive and legislated review process, including public open houses, financial modelling, and comparisons with other municipal utilities. A detailed business plan was developed with the help of independent consultants to assess the potential structure and financing of an MCC. The City says the process has provided a strong foundation for Council to make an informed decision. Citizens are encouraged to attend the hearing and share their feedback.
  
  
• Today, the City will begin routine inspections of commercial, industrial, and multifamily properties as part of its regular property assessment process. Inspections will take place during standard business hours, from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday. Assessment staff will carry City-issued photo ID and will conduct exterior reviews from public areas such as roads and sidewalks. These inspections are intended to ensure property records remain accurate for taxation purposes. The City says this process will focus only on external features and will not require entry into buildings.
  
  
• The Province has completed the first phase of a feasibility study on building a new dam and reservoir along the Red Deer River. The project, announced last fall, is considering a site east of Red Deer that could mirror the Dickson Dam and Gleniffer Reservoir, which help regulate water supply and flow. Alberta’s government says the aim is to ensure a consistent water supply for the growing region and support future development. Details on the exact location or timeline for the next steps have not been shared yet. However, officials say the study is focused on identifying the potential benefits and environmental impacts of the proposed site. No decision has been made, and the project is still in the exploratory phase. Public input and further technical assessments are expected in the future as planning continues.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

Have you ever struggled with red tape in Red Deer?

Maybe it was a frustrating battle to set up a business, a long wait to get a permit, or a confusing experience trying to pay a parking ticket. 

Your stories help shed light on where the system is failing and where it needs to improve.

Send us your experiences - the good, the bad, and the downright frustrating - by replying to this email.

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

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