A joint municipal-school board initiative meant to retain local youth has hit a roadblock in Stettler.
The Town of Stettler council declined a funding request for Clearview’s Return to Service Bursary during the Oct. 20 meeting.
The program was initially pitched in summer 2025 as a partnership between Clearview, the Town of Stettler, the County of Stettler, and the County of Paintearth to fund post-secondary students returning to work in high-need local sectors.
However, the County of Stettler council declined funding the bursary program in April 2026 over unclear guidelines for the funding.
Clearview’s board of trustees moved forward independently in May, adopting its own terms of reference, and allocating $2,000 for Bachelor of Education students.
Faced with a commitment of $10,000 per bursary alongside a narrowed scope limited to teaching, town administration advised council to decline participation at this time.
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
