As of July 1, 2020, Lacombe Regional Waste Services Commission (LRWSC) will require proof of residency in the form of a utility bill to access their waste transfer sites. Loads will be refused if proof is not shown to the attendant. A driver’s licence with a physical address will be accepted if a utility bill cannot be produced (PO Box Numbers and RR# will not be accepted).
More details can be found at www.lrwsc.ca.
CP Rail has notified Lacombe County that they are closing The Great Trail (formerly called the TransCanada Trail), north of Range Road 27-1 in order to conduct repairs.
A portion of the trail will be closed June 6-7, 2020. Signage warning of the closure will be posted in advance near the railroad/trail crossing.
As of Friday, May 29, 2020, Lacombe County is reopening its playgrounds and public washroom facilities at County recreational areas. Lacombe County’s trails and natural parks remain open. Lacombe County will be sanitizing washrooms based on usage, but advise that you use these facilities at your own risk.
All County public washrooms are equipped with alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Please use this before and after you use the washrooms.
“We thank all residents for following the direction of the Government of Alberta, and encourage users of these recreational spaces to continue to follow the guidelines when enjoying these spaces,” said Drayton Bussiere, Director of Emergency Management for Lacombe County.
Residents are advised that C&E Trail will be closed from Aab Street (72 Avenue) to Highway 2A from Thursday, May 28 to Thursday, June 4 for road repairs (see map).
Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes. Please obey posted traffic signs and flag persons. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this construction period.
If you want to know what's happening in Lacombe County, read the May 2020 County News digitally at https://bit.ly/2ZrNNuf!
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Agricultural Plastics Recycling program. Lacombe County has closed this program for the season. We will start collecting ag plastics again in October 2020.
You can learn more about the program at: https://www.lacombecounty.com/index.php/agricultural-plastics-recycling-program.
Since mid-March, Lacombe County’s Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC) team has been carefully monitoring the COVID-19 situation. Lacombe County is pleased to announce its Municipal COVID-19 Relaunch Plan, intended to guide our “return to normal” for facilities, amenities and service levels.
“The Lacombe County ECC evaluated the changing situation of COVID-19, and responded in a manner that best protected staff and ratepayers,” said Lacombe County Reeve, Paula Law. “We are excited to move forward, regardless of the pace, and return back to a new normal in our community.”
The following measures are now in place at Lacombe County (click here to see the full relaunch plan):
At its May 14, 2020 meeting, Council approved the Lacombe County 2020 operating and capital budgets and tax rate bylaw. With immense uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the crash in world oil prices, Lacombe County Council voted in favour of a 0% increase in municipal tax rates for all property classes.
“These are unprecedented times that we are living in, and Council did not want to increase taxes when many of our ratepayers are unsure about the future,” said Lacombe County Reeve Paula Law. “Maintaining the services our ratepayers expect is crucial, and Lacombe County continues to be focused on both reduced spending and smarter spending. We are fortunate to have reserves in place, to help offset any increases that may have been needed for the 2020 budget year to ensure that no changes in service levels are felt.”
PUBLIC NOTICE | Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, Sandy Point Beach will not be open over the May long weekend to the public and will remain closed during Stage 1 of the provincial relaunch. This includes the beach area, beach parking lot, public washroom facility, and playground.
All other Lacombe County parks and trails are open for your enjoyment, BUT public washrooms and playgrounds remain closed at this time. We will advise once these facilities are reopened again. Thank you for adhering to the public health measures and for doing your part to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Reeve Paula Law reminds us all to do our part to keep everyone healthy through every stage of Alberta’s relaunch, by following all public health guidelines. Thanks to our collective efforts, we are helping to slow the spread of COVID-19.
For up-to-date information on COVID-19, including the Alberta Relaunch Strategy, visit alberta.ca/COVID19
In an effort to help preserve the environment in our operating area, Vesta Energy Ltd. will be once again conducting a Spring Roadside Cleanup along the Public Roads in proximity to our activities and well sites.
Between the hours of 7:00 am and 5:00 pm the days of May 10th to May 16th please be aware our employees will be seen scouring the roadsides and ditches in Lacombe County and Red Deer County.
Please drive with caution around these crews.
If you choose to wear a mask to protect others, it is very important that it must be worn and taken on/off properly as the outside can become contaminated. Watch Lacombe County's Director of Emergency Management demonstrate how to properly wear a mask.
Please note: only one mask was harmed in the production of this video!
For more guidance on steps you can take to protect yourself and others during COVID-19, visit alberta.ca/COVID19
Lacombe County is now accepting credit card payments using OptionPay - a third party software provider. For a fee, OptionPay provides residents with another convenient method of payment for water bills, taxes, development fees, dust control and more. OptionPay uses a tiered fee schedule to collect a fee on each transaction.
Please contact the Lacombe County for instructions at 403-782-6601 or visit the OptionPay Online Payment Portal page at https://www.lacombecounty.com/index.php/optionpay.
Drayton Bussiere, Director of Emergency Management for Lacombe County, answers some Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 and our role in this public health crisis.
(Please note: these responses are accurate as of April 29, 2020, but could change as the situation evolves. Visit www.alberta.ca/COVID19 for up-to-date information in Alberta).
Effective April 29, 2020 there is a Fire Advisory in Lacombe County. This Advisory will be in effect until all areas in Lacombe County receive substantial changes to the current dry conditions. Current Burn Permits continue to be valid and new Burn Permits may be restricted and will be approved on a case by case basis.
“The Fire Advisory doesn’t restrict burning in the County, but it is there to alert ratepayers of the current risk conditions and could indicate a full Fire Ban in the near future,” said Lacombe County Fire Chief Drayton Bussiere. “Please make sure you are burning safely and responsibly.”
Lacombe County in partnership with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry will be selling 2% Liquid Strychnine for the control of Richardson Ground Squirrels.
Producers can purchase the product on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. by calling 403-782-6601 or 403-782-8959. There is a minimum purchase of 6 bottles/customer (and a maximum purchase of 2 cases, 24 bottles/case). Each bottle costs $12.00 (and a case is $288 / 24 bottles)
A message from Lacombe County Reeve Paula Law on caring for mental health and available resources during the COVID-19 health crisis.
Previous video links
- Help Prevent the Spread (April 7, 2020)
- Lacombe County COVID-19 Update (March 24, 2020)
Action for Healthy Communities (AHC) opened up a toll-free helpline in addition to its mainline in order to support all Albertans, and especially those who are most vulnerable, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The poster below outlines how Albertans can contact (or help) AHC during this time.
The Alberta Government is providing $30 million to municipalities, charitable and non-profit organizations to provide help to individuals, seniors, families and other vulnerable Albertans who are isolated or impacted by measures to contain COVID- 19.
Through grants from their local Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) in Edmonton and Calgary, and from Family and Community Support Services Association of Alberta (FCSSAA) representing the remainder of the province, funding will be distributed to civil society organizations.
These organizations will support a range of services needed from at-home help for seniors, crisis and helplines, food security issues, emotional and mental health counselling or any other identified community issues.
FULL Info:
document
CSS Guidelines Social Services Funding COVID 19 (March 2020
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Application Form:
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CSS COVID 19 funding request form (March 2020
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Following months of meetings and negotiations, the Town of Blackfalds and Lacombe County are pleased to announce the recent signing of an Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework (ICF) Master Agreement. This ICF will help the municipalities to plan and deliver shared programs and services effectively, efficiently and economically to the residents of both communities.
“Although the negotiation process was long, our respect for each other provided us with a better understanding of each other's unique challenges and perspectives,” said Lacombe County Reeve Paula Law. “There is no question that this ICF agreement will serve both of our communities well.”
Lacombe County staff encourage you to Help Prevent the Spread this World Health Day (April 7, 2020)! We all have a role to play to prevent the spread of COVID-19, to save lives and to flatten the curve.
For additional tips and details, visit alberta.ca/covid19.
HELP PREVENT THE SPREAD (from Lacombe County)
At their regular council meeting on March 26, 2020, Council approved to waive the 2% late payment penalty applied on unpaid utility bills between April 1, 2020, and June 30, 2020. Council made this decision in response to the financial strain some ratepayers are facing due to the COVID-19 public health crisis and economic repercussions that have followed.
Utility accounts must be paid in full as of March 31 to participate in the program, and utility customers must apply to participate in the program (ONLINE APPLICATION FORM HERE).
Effective April 2, 2020, Lacombe County is taking an additional measure for the protection of our residents, as well as for County staff maintaining these facilities, by closing our public washroom facilities and playgrounds. These closures are due to COVID-19 concerns and follow the recommendations from Alberta Health Services and the Government of Alberta.
While we respect these spaces are valued by residents, we believe it is a necessary and responsible precaution at this time. Closure signs will be placed at the following public washroom facilities and playground areas:
Lacombe County’s Emergency Coordination Centre continues to monitor COVID-19 public health risk for any new developments. At this time, we are following protocols laid out by Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, and the Government of Alberta.
“We recognize this is a difficult time for ratepayers, and that there is an extraordinary amount of uncertainty and fear caused by COVID-19 and the economy,” said Lacombe County Reeve Paula Law. “Lacombe County is committed to you, and we are taking measures to ensure municipal services aren’t interrupted. We thank all of you for your support and adherence to the provincial measures during this current situation.”
Lacombe County has asked staff in essential roles, such as Utility Operators, Equipment Operators, and Community Peace Officers, to take extra precautions both at work and at home, in the hopes of ensuring minimal disruption in services. We will continue to update the public should changes to service levels occur.
As of Wednesday, March 25 the Lacombe County administration building and shops will be open by appointment only.
