A widening policing cost gap between town and county residents was a topic of discussion between Town of Stettler officials and provincial ministers at the Alberta Municipalities convention.
In a briefing memo provided to Hometown Media Stettler, Mayor Gord Lawlor outlined key municipal priorities pushed by town council at the Sept. 23–25 convention.
Policing Costs Highlighted
On public safety, the Stettler delegation pressed Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis on policing cost equity, highlighting a local financial divide.
The memo notes Town of Stettler residents contribute $227 per capita toward policing, compared to $53 per capita paid by residents in the County of Stettler.
Addressing municipal bylaw enforcement, Ellis discouraged the town from deploying community peace officers for routine traffic stops, citing high operational risks.
Instead, Ellis encouraged the town to utilize the Alberta Sheriffs to bolster local RCMP capacity.
The Town of Stettler took its first steps towards establishing a community peace officer program on October 6, approving a policy manual on bylaw enforcement and animal control to submit to the province for final approval.
Proposed Provincial-Municipal Lending Framework
Mayor Lawlor also noted a proposal floated by Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams during the Midsized Towns Mayors Caucus supper.
Williams outlined a potential provincial lending framework that could offer municipalities 1 percent interest rates and extended repayment schedules for infrastructure renewal.
Under the proposed model, the loans would not count against municipal borrowing limits, offering potential relief to communities facing heavy debt burdens from aging capital assets.
“Our focus is ensuring Stettler has the borrowing capacity to undertake the major infrastructure work ahead,” Lawlor noted, adding that town representatives also lobbied Williams and Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen for a replacement elementary school, the town’s top strategic priority.
Water For Life Grant Resolution
A town-sponsored resolution calling on the provincial government to broaden eligibility criteria for Water for Life grants also passed overwhelmingly, securing 89.6 percent support from delegates.
Author: Landin Chambers
Landin Chambers is a news reporter for Hometown Media Stettler. He has a background in broadcast news, with previous roles in Prince George, Red Deer and Calgary. You may also see him as a cameraman for the Stettler Wildcats and Stettler Imperials. Have a story idea? Email: lchambers@htproductionsmedia.ca
