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A Free Weekly Publication Serving All of Beaver County Wednesday, March 16, 2022, Volume 15, Issue 11 Wednesday February 16 2022 Volume 15 Issue 7
Finance Minister addresses rural issues in budget Patricia Harcourt Rural Alberta and the 2022 provincial budget was the subject for a media session with Finance Minister Vic Toews on Monday, February 28. Toews cited higher energy prices leading to economic growth and diversification. He also credited the drop in the business tax rate from 12 per cent to eight per cent as another reason for this positive trend across the province. The result is that businesses “are pouring into the province,” he said, including a new airline, agri-food manufacturers, petro chemical investment, and film industry and financial services sectors. Toews said that “major technical companies are creating thousands of jobs.” He said that the increase in fiscal capacity is the result of more revenues for the province based on this growth and diversification. And he credited his government for holding operational spending flat, despite increases in pandemic and health care spending increases. The province now has a $500 million surplus and a balanced budget for the next three years. “So we don’t download fiscal problems to the next government,” he said. Investments in rural Alberta include the need to increase the number of large animals veterinarians living and working there. He said $59 million was going into the University of Calgary’s Veterinary College in order to double the number of students, “to serve both large and small animals in the rural areas,’ he said. The other major issue for rural Alberta is retaining and keeping doctors and nurses. “I’m from rural Alberta,” he said, adding he has experienced a shortage of health staff “from time to time.”
He said $1.8 billion over three years would go towards a fiscal plan to recruit 60 physicians “to move out to the most under served regions of the province.” Also, $22.5 million will go towards the attraction and retention of nurse for rural Alberta, along with $45 million for revitalization of rural health care facilities. An extra $64 million is going towards emergency services in the province. “I believe these are a number of key initiatives that will increase capacity in rural Alberta,” he said. However, the drop in Municipal Sustainability Funding capital and operating funds over the next two years, followed by MSI’s replacement was not one of the positive initiatives mentioned by the minister. Toews did not address the potential negative impact this might have on rural infrastructure, which rural municipalities have relied on MSI funding to help cover. Toews said the government is keeping MSI funding in place for the next two years, “at a time when municipalities can get work done very effectively,” calling it “an opportunity to build projects for 80-90 cents on the dollar.” He owned that this funding would be reduced over those two years, before rising to $22 million in what he called “the out years.” “We will be turning funding down in the ‘back end,” of the MSI, he said, noting that “municipalities were informed of this.” Toews said that, as the government turns down the funding amount, he expects the private sector to pick up and “flood into the province.” “I don’t want to displace private sector funding,” he said, explaining he was “turning government
funding down as private funding comes.” After that, he plans to “raise government funding to be at a sustainable level.” Other rural economy initiatives include increasing the capacity in the truck industry by hiring 1,000 more drivers under the Work Alberta program. “In the rural economy it’s critically important to transfer our goods,” he said, And a total of $1 billion will be invested in rural broadband, which he called “critical in rural Alberta for connectivity.” Rural crime funding will be increased to boost enforcement and capacity, he said. “I have been a victim of rural crime and I appreciate the challenge of the issue,” said Toews. Noting many people in rural areas see the catching of suspects as a “revolving door” where the person is released to carry on with their crimes. So 50 prosecutors are being added to help deal with case loads as more criminals are caught and processed in the criminal justice system. More funding has gone into the Rural Integrated Defence Response Program, he said, and officers from Alberta Fish and Wildlife have been enabled to respond to a rural crime incident. Attracting people to move to smaller communities will be helped by investing in 14 additional schools, “many in rural Alberta,” he said. “It’s critically important for families in rural Alberta to have a first class education.” He added: “The viability of rural Alberta is very important…There needs to be opportunities for individuals and families to pursue a career, start a business,” as well as the need for “good roads and infrastructure.” “Budget 2022 is a turning point for the province,” he said, “and reflects energy, strength and a more diversified economy.”
County Council moves forward by accepting reports on strategic priorities and survey results Patricia Harcourt Beaver County Council proceeded with plans to move forward with new strategies and initiatives by accepting a strategic priorities report and public participation survey summary report. At the March 2 meeting, council accepted the Strategic Priorities Report of February 22. Council requested the Interim CAO to update the Strategic Priorities Chart every three months and schedule an annual review.
The Public Participation Survey Summary Report was then referred to the new Governance and Priorities Committee for review and to provide recommendations to council. Council also agreed to refer the 2020-2030 Strategic Plan to the GPC, so the committee could work to align it with the now accepted Strategic Priorities Report. These new initiatives to upgrade strategies and plans through new initiatives started February 10-22 when council and senior management met to discuss
strategic priorities for this council’s term, explained McDonald, in his report to council. “Sixty issues and opportunities were suggested and then ranked,” he said. “Common themes were established resulting in six strategic topics.” These included: roads, drainage (beavers), economic development, level of service, organizational restructure and tax assessment base. Then action plans were developed for the five highest priorities, “taking into consideration the See PRIORITIES BCC3