Strathcona County prioritizes capital projects to remain leaders in financial sustainability

At its meeting on May 17, Strathcona County Council prioritized its capital spending in order to remain leaders in financial sustainability while addressing growth needs.

“As elected officials, we are responsible for ensuring our financial decisions are sustainable for generations to come,” says Mayor Rod Frank. “Just like our citizens, we must adjust to the financial realities and make hard decisions about what we can afford right now, and what must wait. The projects that cannot happen right now remain vitally important to our community, but the timing is not financially feasible today.”

Council agreed to the following projects moving forward with specific direction:

• Affordable Housing - Former Cloverbar Lodge (work with Pioneer Housing Foundation and Heartland Housing Foundation to arrange for donation of land)
• Boys and Girls Club (BGC) Strathcona County (report back on required land servicing/budget for land servicing by fall 2022)
• Centre in the Park (upgrades to wastewater infrastructure to accommodate anticipated growth with construction to start in 2025 subject to budget approval)
• Indoor fieldhouse (reduce scope and budget with additional reports coming back to Council in 2022 for further approvals that include any opportunities for additional funding options with projected 2027 construction)
• River Valley Alliance Footbridge (as previously approved April 22)
• The Pointe (reduce scope and budget with final budget consideration to come back to Council by fall 2022)

In addition, Council also agreed to the altered direction for the following projects:

• Affordable housing – Habitat for Humanity (pursue other affordable options and report back to Council)
• Community Broadband (focus only on securing grants from other levels of government and foster greater partnerships/advocacy)
• Seniors’ Hub (examine all non-capital options (e.g. programs and existing spaces) and come back with a report in early 2023)
• Ardrossan south water transmission main, Bremner reservoir, Bremner interchange North of Yellowhead (come back to Council for funding requests only when certain growth triggers occur)

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Contact: Strathcona County Communications, 780-410-6595