Damien Kurek, Conservative MP-elect for Battle River-Crowfoot decided to resign his seat to allow Conservative Party of Canada leader, Pierre Poilievre, to run in a forthcoming by-election.

“It has been a tremendous honour to serve the good people of Battle River-Crowfoot as their Member of Parliament since 2019. Their support and commitment to the Conservative movement and our mission to bring back hope and prosperity to this country has been unmatched. Which is why, after much discussion with my wife Danielle, I have decided to step aside for this Parliamentary session to allow our Conservative Party Leader to run here in a by-election,” explained Kurek.

“Pierre just finished a remarkable national campaign that received the highest vote share since 1988. An unstoppable movement has grown under his leadership and I know we need Pierre fighting in the House of Commons to hold the Liberal minority government to account. This is what’s best for Canada and is what’s best for Battle River-Crowfoot,” he said in a statement.

“Although it will be hard to temporarily step away from this role, in this region I love and have always called home, the mandate given to me is one that clearly states that change is needed. Offering this seat to our party leader is an important step in that process. I started my political career talking about the need for government to be held to account and to ensure that rural Canada wasn’t forgotten about, this is a key way to ensure that happens,” added Kurek.

“The people of Battle River-Crowfoot will be represented well by Pierre for the remainder of this Parliamentary session, and I will keep working with our incredible local team to do everything I can to remain the strong voice for you as I support him in the process, and then run again here in Battle River-Crowfoot in the next general election. We need to build on the momentum that we have with that strong united vision that will restore the Canadian promise.”

Local music entertainer Travis Dolter will be playing at a fundraising concert to support  the Camrose Neighbor Aid Center Food Bank, Loyal Order of the Moose and the Spaghetti Dinner on May 23 at the Moose Lodge beginning at 7 p.m. with the concert at 8 p.m.

“I was so happy when Holly (McIndoe) reached out to me about a potential fundraiser in Camrose. It’s always a blast to get to play in my hometown, especially for a great cause that benefits the community! My band and I are ready to share some brand new music and can’t wait to see everyone out at the Moose Hall. Get your tickets for an amazing night,” said Travis.

The Spaghetti Dinner is on Wednesdays from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge in Camrose. They rely on donations from the community to cover expenses. It is open to those in the community who are struggling to make ends meet, need a helping hand, or just want to visit socially with other people.

“As the cost of living and groceries continue to get higher, we are so blessed to have such great support from our community. We couldn’t do it without the support or the volunteers,” said Bonnie Cooke, one of the organizers of the dinner.

"All three of these good organizations need community support, so we are splitting the proceeds between them. Travis has a great voice and good songs, so this is about supporting a local performer as well,” Bonnie added.

With the increased need, they expect to serve more than 6,000 people between last September and this June.

Travis and his band are excited to be a part of this initiative. He is known to captivate his audience with his energy, powerful vocals and genuine charm. Travis is nominated for two Country Music Alberta Awards: Video of the Year–“Hell of a Saturday Night” and the 2024 Fan’s Choice Award. This new track is the latest example of the high energy performance he brings to every show.

All proceeds will go directly to the Loyal Order of Moose so they can continue to provide the Spaghetti Dinners. For advance tickets, call Barry at 403-861-7293.

For more information on the supper, volunteering or donating to the Spaghetti Supper initiative, contact Bonnie Cooke at 780-672-1026 or Holly McIndoe at 780-679-3960.

By Murray Green
 

Conservative MP Damien Kurek was re-elected on April 28 in the Battle River-Crowfoot riding.

Elections Canada indicated that more than 67 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot in the federal election–more than 19.2 million people.

“Once again, it is an honour to serve as your Member of Parliament here in Battle River-Crowfoot. To all those who voted for me and those who didn’t: thank you for making your voices heard in our democratic process. You can count on me to work for you and fight so that you, rural Canada, and the values we hold are heard in our nation’s capital,” said Kurek, after he was declared elected.

The Liberals counted 168 seats, Conservative 144, Bloc Quebecois 23, NDP seven and Green Party one for a total of 343, as of May 1.

“While the national results don’t reflect the change that so many had hoped for, our national Conservative team made a significant breakthrough and we will hold the Liberals to account during their fourth term. This allows us to be in a strong position to make sure they follow through on the promises they made during their campaign, promises that in many cases reflect priorities that Canada’s Conservatives have led the conversation on for years,” he added.

Final results: Kurek gained 81.8 per cent of the vote with 53,502 votes. Liberal Brent Sutton had 7,482, NDP James MacKay 2,847, People’s Party Jonathan Bridges 1,063 and Green Party Douglas Gook 479 votes.

“To Alberta, Western Canada and the many Canadians who feel left behind and divided after a decade of Liberal policy: Conservatives hear you and won’t stop listening to, working for, and fighting for the promise of Canada. There will be lots of questions that need to be asked about what that looks like. And my commitment to you is that I will be unafraid to fight for answers,” he continued.

The Conservative Party of Canada made some strides in the latest federal election, but not leader Pierre Poilievre, who lost his seat in the Ottawa riding of Carleton. He will find a way back into the House of Commons.

“Finally, to our campaign team, the local Conservative association, the many volunteers who helped in various ways and those who helped facilitate the election: we couldn’t have done this without you. From Danielle and I, thank you.”

By Murray Green
 

The Jeanne and Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre has a great lineup still to come this season.

Camrose Composite Playhouse will be featuring One Stoplight Town theatre on May 6 at 7 p.m. It is a story about people from a town so small that you might drive through without taking a second look.
The Gift is a music event based on the words and music of Ian Tyson that will be featured on Wednesday, May 7, at 7:30 p.m.

The musicians, including Camrose’s own Tracy Millar, have worked on Tyson’s recorded music for several years.

By Murray Green
 

Get ready for more Professional Bull Riders at the Recreation Centre on Saturday, May 10, beginning at 7 p.m.

The annual Rose City Invitational is one of the highest paying PBR Canada events of the season. This major event is organized by the rose city’s own professional bull rider Coy Robbins.

The area has supported the event over the last three years with great success.

“We have 30 riders, matching up with Canada’s best bulls. I have gained a ton of respect and appreciation to those people who organize any event. It takes a lot of work and a ton of hours to hold a successful event. Having community support definitely makes it well worth it,” added Coy, 2017 PBR Canada Rookie of the Year.

The local cowboy won the event the first year. “I have to treat it like it is just another event and separate myself from everything when the bull gets in the chute,” said Coy.

The local cowboy has been entering rodeos since he was eight years old and now has seven years of professional experience under his belt. “I’ve always wanted to be a producer of events. It gives you a different prospective being behind the scenes and seeing what takes place besides just showing up and getting on a bull,” shared Coy.

The best bull riders compete for points in the race to be crowned the PBR Canada National Champion.
After the 30 riders have had their chance to ride, the top 10 will compete in a final short round. The winner will be named off an aggregate of the two scores.

“These are 30 of the best bull riders in the world, so it is going to be interesting who gets the win, it will be a dog fight for sure. But the fans will be the real winners,” said Coy.

“New this year will be a junior bull riding event with six competitors under 18. I remember when I had the opportunity to ride in a junior event and how cool it was at that time of my life. These riders will be the next generation of the top bull riders,” stated Coy.

After the competition, rodeo fans will be entertained by country music rockers Foxx Worthee and Leo Martinez.

You can get tickets at Eventbrite.ca or in person at Lammle’s and the Wild Rose Co-op Grocery store in Camrose. Children eight years old and under are free of charge.

Camrose Kodiaks supporters will be at the event selling 50/50 tickets with a portion of the proceeds going to the Camrose Helps Foundation.

By Murray Green
 

The City of Camrose, Province of Alberta and Elk Island School Division have reached an agreement on secondary access to the new school site.

The secondary access and transfer of the site to Blessed Carlo Acutis Catholic High School will happen shortly to allow the school to open in time for the fall 2025 term.

The City has been working diligently with the province and Elk Island Catholic School Division for over a year to ensure that this goal would be achieved.

“Council identified that the opening of the school was a priority and took steps to make sure that the school was able to open on time, while limiting potential financial impacts and risks to the City and its taxpayers,” said Mayor PJ Stasko. “The City was not obligated to provide secondary access to the school, however under the current circumstances, council determined it was in the best interests of the community to do so.”

The school was originally built with the assumption that the adjacent development of 26th Avenue would proceed as planned. However, development did not happen as expected, so the City entered into an agreement with the provincial government and Elk Island Catholic School Division for the City to acquire and invest in building 26th Avenue to ensure that there was the secondary access to the school for buses and staff.

“We hear our residents and their frustrations, especially when they feel like they’ve been left in the dark as we negotiate these complex and confidential agreements,” Mayor Stasko added. “Unfortunately, the nature of these negotiations limited our ability to comment until we had reached an agreement.”

“We acknowledge the efforts made by the three parties over the past year and that we were able to work toward an agreement that benefits the community, allowing us to maintain strong working relationships for future collaborations,” said Mayor Stasko. “We look forward to welcoming new staff and students in Fall 2025.”

Council discussed this further when they considered a Temporary Road Bylaw and options for construction of 26th Avenue at the regular council meeting on May 5.

By Murray Green
 

Elk Island Catholic Schools (EICS) is excited to share that final road and utility work for Blessed Carlo Acutis Catholic High School (BCA) in Camrose will proceed and is now moving confidently toward the September 2025 opening of the long-awaited school.

A mutual agreement between EICS, the Government of Alberta and City of Camrose was ratified by all three parties, enabling the paving of 26 Avenue and utility access that is required to open this fall.

“Our families in Camrose have been incredibly supportive and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome their children into Blessed Carlo Acutis Catholic High School this fall,” said Le-Ann Ewaskiw, chair of the EICS board of trustees. “We extend our deepest gratitude to the Alberta Government and City for their commitment to achieving a resolution that will get our new high school open on time.”

The superintendent added his thoughts. “This is great news for our Camrose families,” said Paul Corrigan, superintendent of EICS. “Our division and school leadership teams have continued to work diligently behind the scenes in anticipation of opening the school this fall. From staffing to program development, our preparations have remained focused on creating a welcoming Catholic high school for the Camrose community.”

When it opens this September, BCA will become the third EICS school in Camrose. Grades 9 through 12, which are currently served by Our Lady of Mount Pleasant Catholic High School, will move over to BCA. The new 4,720-square-metre high school is capable of serving 460 students. Its construction was completed earlier this year.

“As we move toward opening this beautiful new school, we remember that everything we do in Catholic education is ultimately to help our students grow in holiness and in hope, rooted in Christ,” Le-Ann added.

By Murray Green
 

The Camrose Buffaloes Football program will be having free try-it-out nights on May 20 and 22 at the École Camrose Composite High School grounds from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

The football program offers teams in age groups from eight-year-old football players to bantams (Grade 9). If enough interest is shown, a program will run for U8 during the season.

“We have two free try-it-out nights open to anyone wanting to get a feel for the sport. Our Spring Camp is also a great opportunity for all skill levels to participate in practices and we have a jamboree to wrap it up. We are looking forward to another great year,” said Natalie St-Laurent, communications and media director for the Buffaloes.

Spring camp begins on May 27 and is on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The club is also looking for more coaches for the upcoming season.

It is open to U11, U13 and U16 levels with safe contact training and practice that will take place at the high school track grounds with the last session going to the end of June.

U11 players will go from 6 to 8 p.m. The U13 and U16 players are from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Players must supply and wear cleats.

No experience necessary. This is entry level football for players of all genders. For more information, view https://camrose buffaloes.com.

The Camrose Minor Baseball Association will be hosting several tournaments and games this summer.

“The U11 double-A team will host games the weekend of May 24 and 25 at Kin Park. The U15 double-A team will host games on May 24 and 25 as well at Duggan Park South. The community league season starts this week of May 5 to 9,” said Davin Wilcox, secretary and scheduling coordinator for the Camrose Minor Baseball Association.

Camrose will have three or four local U9 teams, two U11 teams, two U13 teams, one U15 and one U18 community league team.

CMBA will be hosting a Community League tournament on June 6 to 8 at Kin Park and Duggan Park.

The Camrose Fire Department will benefit from training grants to help keep local residents safe.

To assist support for protecting and preserving the safety of the province’s communities, Alberta’s United Conservative government is investing more than $1 million through the Fire Services Training Program Grant to support more than 65 local fire services across Alberta.

Through this investment, Camrose is receiving $29,025 to help keep residents safe. “I am glad to work alongside a government which consistently demonstrates its willingness to ensure that our municipalities can keep residents safe. This firefighter training grant will keep our community safe and equipped to handle emergencies,” said Camrose MLA Jackie Lovely.

The first to respond in an emergency is often a community’s local fire service, which makes it critical that local firefighters in Camrose receive training that is reflective of industry best standards and fits the needs of the communities they serve.
The funding provided to Camrose through the Fire Services Training Program Grant will help do just that by supporting them in delivering a wide range of training for their firefighters.

“Firefighters put their lives on the line to protect us, and we’re making sure they have the training they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. Well-trained fire services are essential to keeping our communities safe, and these grant investments will help firefighters respond with skill and confidence when Albertans need them most,” added Ric McIver, Alberta Minister of Municipal Affairs.

In Alberta, municipalities are responsible for determining fire service needs for their community, including local fire service levels and organization, budgets and training.

MS Canada encourages early registration for  the MS Bike Tour to allow for training time.

The first two MS Canada rides are in Alberta. They are scheduled for June 21 and 22, Airdrie to Olds and Leduc to Camrose. The final event is slated for the weekend of September 13 in Saskatchewan.

“With plenty of time before the first MS Bike events kick-off, the team at MS Canada is encouraging everyone to check out the events closest to them and consider signing up for the fun challenge of an MS Bike ride,” said Elan Paris, MS Bike Tour communications.

Canada has one of the highest rates of MS in the world, with over 90,000 Canadians who live with the condition and an average of 12 Canadians receiving a new MS diagnosis each day. On top of the human impact, the disease creates real economic consequences for Canada. Multiple Sclerosis costs the country more than $3.4 billion in direct health costs and productivity loss.

“MS Bike is an energizing challenge you can feel good about, where going the distance makes a difference. Funds raised help improve the lives of people living with MS across Canada, no matter where they live, through a variety of support programs, research breakthroughs, and advocacy. Every kilometre you ride brings us closer to a world free of MS,” she said.

MS Bike is an energizing challenge and a supportive, safe and vibrant environment bringing people together in support of Canadians living with Multiple Sclerosis.

Leduc to Camrose is one of the 11 MS Bike events happening this summer. Each MS Bike event offers a fun, community-driven, supported ride, spanning distances of 45 to 190 kilometres over one or two days, depending on the location. MS Canada is calling on cyclists to get ready now by tuning up their bikes and start spring training for the MS Bike event of their choice. Training support is available for all MS Bike participants.

MS Bike also offers a virtual, Canada-wide ride option to be completed any time between June and September 2025 for those who may be interested in participating, but cannot do so in-person.

“People affected by MS are at the heart of everything we do at MS Canada,” said Dr. Pamela Valentine, CEO of MS Canada. “Every two hours someone in Canada is diagnosed with the disease; it truly affects us all. By participating in MS Bike, you are fueling groundbreaking research, helping us advocate for positive systems change, and providing support programs to improve the well-being of everyone affected by this disease.”

“I have participated in MS Bike for 14 years and I am here to invite you to take the leap and join us. It may seem like an intimidating challenge, but it is such an energizing experience and well worth the effort. It is also an accessible and fully supported route where everyone can ride at their own pace,” said MS Bike participant and spokesperson, Patrycia Rzechowka. “Every kilometre we ride together brings us closer to a world without MS. MS Bike brings about an incredible sense of community and purpose, the ripple effect of our efforts is tangible.”

All MS Bike events provide first aid and mechanical support along the route. For information on how to register for this year’s MS Bike events, visit msbike.ca.

It’s been a busy and exciting spring for the ÉCCHS badminton team.

“We had a fast and full season, in just three weeks, as we hosted or co-hosted five tournaments. The Grade 9 team had a strong start, sending a full roster of 16 players to the first Divisional tournament. Nine athletes moved on to Regionals, where ÉCCHS had some great results. Addy Galenza placed first in Grade 9 girls’ singles, Svana Sveinbjornson and Quinn Smith placed first in girls’ doubles, and Aaliyah Riopel and Ryder Bergstrom finished first in mixed doubles,” said Graeme Thain, ÉCCHS athletic director.

“The high school team had 42 athletes compete at the City/County meet after spring break. From there, 23 advanced to Areas on April 9 and nine qualified for the Zone tournament on April 16. Zone tournaments are always competitive, unfortunately we didn’t advance any players to provincials this year,” Thain said.

“With badminton winding down, other sports are picking up. Track and field is in progress, with the high school City/County meet on May 14 and the Area meet on May 21–both held at ÉCCHS. The Zone meet will be in Red Deer on May 29 and provincials are in Calgary on June 6 and 7. Grade 9 athletes will compete at their Divisional and Regional meets on May 27 and June 3, also at ÉCCHS,” he explained.

The football team will be starting with eight spring practices on May 26, leading up to a spring jamboree in Stettler on June 14.

The tennis team began practices in early May and will compete in Red Deer on June 3.

The year-end athletic celebration will be on June 12 after school.

Residents of Bittern Lake made a decision to continue to operate as the Village of Bittern Lake.

A viability review was initiated for the Village of Bittern Lake in October 2023. This review started because of a sufficient petition.

Electors of the municipality voted on April 1 and April 2 to remain a village and implement changes to achieve viability.

A total of 119 people voted with 66 in favour of staying a village and 53 voting to dissolve into a hamlet. The majority of votes cast at 55 per cent was enough to keep Bittern Lake a village.

As a result of the vote, the minister of municipal affairs may issue directives that the municipality must comply with to improve its viability. These directives will be based on the recommendations included in the viability review report.

An initial public information session was held in Bittern Lake to review the viability review process with the community on January 11, 2024. Based on this initial information session, an additional information document was prepared for the public.

A mid-review public information session was held in Bittern Lake on June 19, 2024, to provide an update on the viability review process and an opportunity to gather additional public input. A viability report was finalized in March 2025 and shared with the community at the local hall.

A pre-vote public information session was held in Bittern Lake on March 18, to review the contents of the updated report and answer questions about the report and the vote of electors. Alberta municipal affairs staff Sharlene Brown and Linda Reynolds explained the process at the Bittern Lake Community Hall at that meeting.

The options for voting were Option 1: The Village of Bittern Lake remains a village and implements changes to achieve viability. Option 2: Dissolve the Village of Bittern Lake and Bittern Lake becomes a hamlet in Camrose County.

Alberta municipal affairs staff Sharlene Brown and Linda Reynolds explained the process at the Bittern Lake Community Hall.

“Should electors vote to remain a municipality, the minister of municipal affairs will direct the village to take action to improve its viability,” said Brown, at that time.

Village council now has a mandate to develop a long-term strategic plan of 10 years, not just for five years and increase communications and engagement with the community to improve resident satisfaction.

Alberta municipal affairs determined a 10-year plan of repairing or replacing roads, water systems, storm water upgrades and sanitary system upgrades would cost more than $4 million at 2025 prices.

Joan Petruk did it again. She was named the Camrose Toastmaster District 99 Toastmaster of the Year for the second time.

Joan was named Toastmaster of the Year for 2023–24. She also received the honour in 2014.

District 99 includes more than 80 Toastmasters’ clubs across Alberta and Saskatchewan, making this one of the most competitive and prestigious recognitions in the region.

The Toastmaster of the Year Award recognizes one exceptional individual who exemplifies the highest standards of leadership, communication and service. Winners demonstrate excellence within their club, the district, and the broader community.
Joan, who has been a Toastmaster for 18 years, is known for her tireless contributions, her warmth, and her commitment to helping others grow.

This year, Joan held multiple roles in the Camrose club including vice -president education, vice- president membership and sergeant-at-arms stepping up when the club needed leadership.
She organized weekly agendas, mentored new members, ran Zoom orientations for each of the club’s nine new members, and arrived early to every meeting to greet guests. Through her community outreach–attending Chamber of Commerce meetings, setting up booths at Camrose Jaywalkers’ and Community Registration–she introduced 17 guests to the club, nine of whom became members.

Joan also helped lead contests and judged at multiple levels, including the district level. As District 99’s Club extension chair, she supported new clubs in Edmonton, mentoring both the Schneider Electric club and the Islamic Association club as they worked toward charter strength.

“Winning Toastmaster of the Year is the highest honour a member can receive,” Joan said. “I feel humbled and grateful. Recognition from peers is the most meaningful recognition of all.”

Beyond her club work, Joan currently serves on the Camrose executive and is the chairperson for the 2025 District Conference Committee, where she’s excited to welcome others into the vibrant community she loves.

Joan moved to Alberta after living in Yellowknife, drawn by shorter winters. Originally from Nova Scotia, she’s made Camrose her home and has spent years making it better through service, mentorship and dedication to others.

“I believe that joining Toastmasters is the best thing you can do for your future,” she says. “My only regret is not learning about the program earlier in my career.”

If you’re looking to grow your confidence, communication skills, or leadership abilities, consider joining a club where you’ll be supported by mentors like Joan–an inspiring example of what’s possible through Toastmasters.

Camrose Toastmasters meets weekly and welcomes guests. For more information, visit camrosetoastmasters.toastmastersclubs.org or stop by a meeting and experience the power of personal growth. Text/call Joan 780-781-9927

Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation Minister, RJ Sigurdson has been actively supporting the premier’s view of the potential impacts of U.S. tariffs to the agriculture sector in her meetings in Washington and on social media.

“On top of being in contact with ag producers and processors, he also met with federal and provincial colleagues to ensure Alberta’s concerns are heard at all levels. He and his team launched a ‘Buy Local’ campaign to get the word out to more Albertans about the importance of supporting our local farmers, livestock producers and food processors,” said Camrose MLA Jackie Lovely.

 In early April, he travelled to Washington to meet with representatives from across North America to advocate for Alberta and Canada.

“Diversifying our export markets will be a strong priority in the year ahead. We will be focused on: conducting more aggressive outreach in markets where Canada has trade access through agreements like CTTP and CETA (Asia/EU). Leveraging the agriculture expertise in our international offices in Mexico, Europe, Japan, Korea, Singapore, China and the U.S,” shared Lovely.

They are working directly with Alberta companies to help them identify and access new international markets.

Internal trade is significant to economic growth; it contributes about a fifth of Canada’s gross domestic product.

“These tariffs, along with those threatened by southern neighbours, will have a devastating impact on hard-working farmers, ranchers, and food processors who are caught in political crossfire they want no part of,” Sigurdson said.
One hundred per cent tariffs will be imposed on Canadian canola, canola oil, peas and rapeseed oil, and additional 25 per cent tariffs will be applied to aquatic products and pork.

The tariffs are China’s response to Canadian duties on Chinese-made electric vehicles (100 per cent) and aluminum and steel products (25 per cent) imposed in October last year, spurred by what the Liberal government say are unfair trading practices and poor labour standards by the Chinese.

“Alberta’s agriculture industry is world-class, and we’re committed to expanding markets despite these challenges. However, we need the federal government to step up and address the trade issues they’ve created,” said Sigurdson.

By Adan Shaikh
 

Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters (ACWS) shared in their 2023 to 2024 report the crisis women’s shelters are facing all across the province. According to the report, the need for shelter and services have continued to rise while the capacity of operations continued to decrease.

There is an overwhelming need for shelters and outreach services across the province. 53,391 calls for help were received over the 2023-2024 period, and while shelters provided over 50,000 services and admitted 8,136 survivors and their children, they were unable to help 31,248 individuals.

“Stays in shelters have increased to three month stays. Emergency shelters are intended to be short stays of three weeks or less.  Due to the housing crisis and increase in rents, safe and affordable housing is not available. We have noticed an increase in the number of new to Canada families accessing the shelter. Language barriers pose a challenge and the majority of services for new Canadians are concentrated in the urban centres. We had a 12 per cent increase in the number of women who used the shelter over the previous year. Staffing shortages and increasing costs of everything were also enormous challenges in 2024,” explained Nora-Lee Rear, executive director of the Camrose Women’s Shelter.

For every person who stayed in a domestic violence shelter, four more needed to stay but could not. This includes a 20 per cent increase in the number of children turned away from shelters compared to the previous year. Children now account for 41 per cent of all individuals unable to be sheltered.

Shelters continue to provide the essential services but due to chronic under-funding and staffing shortages many shelters are severely hampering their programs. One in three shelters reported having to cut operations since April 2023.

The situation is especially dire in rural and remote communities, where limited funding challenges exacerbate already strained services.

“Besides Camrose, we serve a very large rural catchment area from Leduc to Ponoka, Stettler, Flagstaff County, all the way to the Saskatchewan border and everything in between.  Addressing interpersonal violence and abuse in the rural areas is critical as the physical, emotional and financial needs of victims are critical to their safety. Unfortunately, even though the need has increased in most rural regions, and we have built good relationships in the far corners of east-central Alberta, we had to eliminate one outreach position in order to permanently relieve some financial pressure,” shared Nora-Lee.

Outreach services have become increasingly critical, allowing shelters to support individuals who cannot or choose not to enter a facility.

The report highlights that domestic violence is an everyone problem and it requires an everyone solution. ACWS is calling on Albertans to advocate for change, support shelters through donations or volunteerism, and educate themselves about the realities of abuse.

The full report is available at www.acws.ca, along with information on how to support local shelters and take part in initiatives to end domestic violence and abuse in Alberta.

If you or anyone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the shelter’s 24-hour crisis line at 1-877-672-1010 or 780-672-1035.

Alberta’s agriculture regions are entering the spring/seeding season with mixed moisture conditions, following a dry February and lower-than-normal snowpack across most of the province.
The central region, which includes Camrose County, has reported near-normal moisture this year, placing it in a favourable position for the growing season.

 According to the March 20 update from the Government of Alberta, the area spanning from Lloyd-minster toward Calgary and southeast to Medicine Hat received less than five millimetres of precipitation in February. Other parts of the province received five to 15 millimetres.

February is typically the driest month in Alberta, but this year, the trend shows it was even drier than normal. Many regions saw precipitation levels that occur only once every three to 25 years. Overall these conditions are considered moderately low.
The eastern half of the province, including north and west of Edmonton and some of the Peace region, experienced near normal winter precipitation.

Over the last 365 days, parts of the province, specifically the east central regions, reported precipitation totals near or slightly above normal, ranging from 90 to 130 per cent of the long-term average.

Although the driest time of the year (winter) has ended, the most critical months for agriculture–May through July–are still to come.

To report how the weather conditions are impacting your area the Agroclimate Impact Report for 2025 is now available. This survey allows producers to report how the weather and climate are affecting their farm operations, which helps Agriculture Canada identify emerging trends and challenges that the agriculture sector is facing in different regions.

For more information, check https://open.alberta.ca/publications/moisture-situation-update#summary.

Camrose County is supporting the Alberta Sheep Symposium to be held on October 16 to 18 at the Camrose Resort Casino and Hotel.

“I move that Camrose County council provide a Category C Major Local Event sponsorship of a $600 bronze level sponsorship,” said councilor Don Simpson.

The Alberta Sheep Breeders’ Association is Canada’s oldest purebred livestock organization, providing support and guidance to the sheep industry since 1905. Association membership in the Canadian Sheep Breeders’ Association gives Alberta sheep producers a national voice on issues affecting our industry. The ASBA is a volunteer-led organization funded in part by a portion of the provincial registration fees paid on purebred animals and the generous sponsorship received for our biannual Symposium event.

“Our mission: To encourage overall and consistent improvement in the breeding and management of purebred sheep in Alberta. Many educational and youth-focused initiatives are delivered to accomplish our goals, including the Sheila Stephen Memorial Scholarship ($575) is awarded annually to a sheep producer pursuing post-secondary studies. In 2024, two scholarship recipients received the award. Note that the Symposium program features a silent auction to raise funds to support the Scholarship,” said chair Cindy Crawford in her letter to council.

“The Youth Purebred Sheep Purchase Incentive offers $500 annually to support the purchase of registered stock and was awarded for the first time in 2022; financial support of youth projects including 4-H clubs and Summer Synergy in Olds; the Good Shepherd Award recognizes sheep producers who have made valuable contributions to the Alberta sheep industry, and is presented at the Symposium banquet; the biannual Symposium, which marked its 50th anniversary in 2019, is ASBA’s premier event bringing producers together with industry leaders from around the world, who present research and technology focused on industry growth and sustainability,” she added.

Don Young led a rural crime watch gathering in Holden, with about 50 people attending, revealing that across Alberta, copper wire theft, scrap theft and catalytic converter theft have become serious concerns disrupting critical services, delaying construction projects and putting people at risk.

“Rural areas are often targeted because our communities can be more difficult for police to reach. I know from speaking with many of you and other constituents that this is today’s reality,” said MLA Jackie Lovely.

Between 2021 and 2024, copper wire theft increased by an alarming 93 per cent.

“To help stop this problem, we are introducing amendments to the Scrap Metal Dealers and Recyclers Identification Act,” indicated Lovely.

“If passed, these changes will streamline the administration of justice and allow peace officers to issue tickets rather than court summonses where appropriate. We’re also implementing stronger reporting requirements for business-to-business scrap metal sales so that law enforcement has the information needed to identify suspicious activity and trace stolen property such as catalytic converters and copper wire. These tools will support law enforcement and deter would-be offenders ensuring safer communities, less theft and fewer delays for essential projects,” she added.

At the same time, Alberta’s government is taking bold steps to meet the province’s evolving public safety needs by enhancing and expanding local policing options.

In the spring of 2024, legislation was passed that set the stage for the creation of a new, independent agency police service.

“Bill 49, which is currently being debated, would make further amendments to allow the creation of this new body. This new agency will assume police-like functions currently overseen by Alberta Sheriffs and increase law enforcement capacity across the province, particularly in rural and underserved areas. It will complement our existing policing framework, which includes the RCMP and municipal police forces,” Lovely suggested.

“By giving municipalities another option for their local policing provider, we are recognizing the unique challenges faced by different communities and empowering local governments to choose the service that best meets their needs and budgets.”

The RCMP will remain Alberta’s official provincial police service. Municipalities with populations over 5,000 already have the option to establish a stand-alone police service, and this new agency will serve as an additional choice for those seeking alternative models.

If passed, Bill 49 will help implement this new service by establishing it as a crown corporation, overseen by an independent corporate board.
The legislation will also create a clear and accountable governance structure, ensuring defined roles for government, civilian oversight bodies and police leadership.

Finally, municipalities that choose to contract this new police service would be required to form civilian committees, so that the local municipality has a say in policing priorities.

“Those aren’t the only tools and resources which have been implemented over recent years to crack down on crime and keep all Albertans safe,” said Lovely. “Also included in the legislation I mentioned passing in 2024 was a new framework for the electronic monitoring of repeat offenders. I am sure you’ll be happy to hear that this program officially got underway on January 15th of this year. Through this program, offenders and accused who pose a public safety risk can now be court-ordered to 24-7 electronic monitoring by Alberta Correctional Services.”

Law enforcement will now be able to use GPS tracking to ensure that individuals wearing these devices don’t go anywhere they are not supposed to.

SCAN teams are units that are part of the Alberta Sheriffs that deal with problem properties being used for illegal activity like drug trafficking, human trafficking or gang-related crimes.

If informal efforts are unsuccessful, SCAN can apply to the courts for a community safety order to impose restrictions and conditions on the property and its owner, which could include closing the property for up to 90 days.

Any criminal activity uncovered when dealing with these properties is turned over to the police to investigate.

Camrose County changed some of the requirements for obtaining a special events permit, at its regular meeting on April 22. The Special Events Bylaw 1565 received first,  second, considered for third reading and third and final reading. The County has followed Bylaw 1043 regarding special events. “It has been primarily used to regulate events on private land. It has come to the County’s attention that it should be re-worked to require permits for special events on County land (eg. weddings at the Nature Conservation Centre),” reported administrator Teresa Gratrix.

“The liability to the County of a special event is almost exclusively when the event is held on County land. As such this bylaw has been re-worked to cover this situation and special event permits for events on private land will be discontinued, unless they are expecting an attendance of greater than 300 people,” she added.

The purpose of a large scale event permit for events held on private land is to ensure that the organizers have adequately addressed safety, waste disposal, traffic and parking issues and have proper insurance and licences.

The County’s special event application consists of a submission of a letter detailing the event and supporting documents. The fees and penalties for not taking out a permit will be listed in the Fee for Service Bylaw. There is a discounted fee if the event organizer is a non-profit organization. The proposed fee is $150 and the discounted price for non-profit event organizers is $50. If the event is over 300 attendees, the fees are $400 (and discounted to $150 for non-profit groups).

“The event requestor will need to supply County Protective Services with the following: Letter of Request; First Aid Confirmation; Proof of Insurance; Local Police Consent; Waste Management Strategy; Safety Plan including a map, parking plan, evacuation route,” Gratrix said.

“If an event proceeds without a permit this bylaw will give the County the ability to impose fines. In order to allow time for Protective Services to review applications and clarify any questions, as well as to bring the item to council for approval, there is a requirement that the application be submitted in advance of the date of the event.”