Lacombe County Council endorsed the 2018 State of the Environment Report at their last meeting. Rewritten for 2018, the State of the Environment Report (SOE) offers a glimpse into the current conditions of the environment. Using a combination of scientific data and socio-economic factors, the report also provides insight into the various pressures impacting Lacombe County.

“Our original intent was to develop a full-scale revision of the State of the Environment Report,” said Jennifer Berry, Lacombe County Environmental Coordinator. “However, there wasn’t enough new data and research released over the past five years to warrant a fully revised SOE, so we focused the 2018 report on the ways Lacombe County has progressed with environmental stewardship and management since 2013.”

Work has been completed on the first phase of the Sylvan Lake Intermunicipal Development Plan (IDP). This phase of the project focused on understanding the opportunities and issues that currently exist within the Sylvan Lake area, and involved public and stakeholder engagement as well as the review of background studies and reports for the eight municipalities that surround Sylvan Lake.

Engagement Findings

Engagement for the first phase of the project included a public open house, public survey (including an online option), online interactive mapping, as well as a meeting with identified key stakeholder groups. Some of the key focus areas that came out of engagement include:

Lacombe City Council is proceeding with the construction of the West Area Servicing project by awarding major construction contracts following a rigorous tendering process.

“Council is pleased to see this project move forward, and we look forward to the positive impact it will have on the local and regional economies,” said City of Lacombe Mayor Grant Creasey. “The City of Lacombe is working collaboratively with Lacombe County to ensure that growth and development along our borders is beneficial to both municipalities.”

“These construction contracts are an important first step for the West Area Servicing project, which will ensure continued growth in our region,” said Lacombe County Reeve Paula Law. “This project will have a positive, long-term impact on the local economy for both Lacombe County and the City of Lacombe, and is an example of how rural-urban municipalities can successfully work together.”

During the upcoming winter months, Lacombe County’s brushing crews (when available,) will be performing selective brushing, for maintenance purposes, in our Right-of-Ways. This includes the streets and back alleys within the Hamlet of Mirror.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Dale Kary, Lacombe County Maintenance Foreman at 403-304-0424, or the Lacombe County Public Works Shop at 403-782-3567.

With colder weather here, Lacombe County would like to encourage people with ice fishing huts on local lakes about the Take it Off program for Gull Lake, Sylvan Lake, and Buffalo Lake. 

“Most of the people on the lakes seem to understand the importance are taking their huts and garbage out with them before spring arrives and the Take it Off program is a great way to protect our water resources,” said Lacombe County Environmental Coordinator Jennifer Berry. “We do remind people that they need to re-register each year to get their identification card.” 

Why is it important to register your ice hut?

Registering is completely voluntary and it ensures that each hut is accounted for at the end of the ice fishing season, reducing the likelihood of ice huts falling through the ice in the spring and polluting the lake. This not only helps to protect the environment, but also ensures the safety of the animals who depend on that water source, as well as lake users throughout the year. Registration of huts also protects ice fishing huts from vandalism and theft, and helps identify the owner of ice huts in the event of any issues related to ice hut property. 

On November 30, Lacombe County Council adopted the County’s 2019 interim operating and capital budgets. Following the priorities set out in the County’s Strategic Plan and its long-range road construction and capital equipment replacement plans, the budget reflects the desire to support the maintenance of existing service levels while managing the County’s spending in a responsible manner that reflects the current economic situation.

The $55,212,370 interim operating budget is balanced and supported by a 2.0% property tax rate increase for residential properties, a 3.5% tax rate increase for farmland and 4.5% property tax rate increase for all other properties and a transfer of $67,630 from the tax rate stabilization reserve. The 2.0% property tax rate increase represents an additional $20.04 in taxes on a $400,000 residential property.