FINANCE & PLANNING DIVISION

FINANCE & GRANTS

County Council approved the 2022 budget on December 21, 2021. The operating budget was set at $61,365,867, and the capital budget at $32,297,806. Non-operating reserve allocations (which Council can use to fund projects as they come up throughout the year) were set at $6.7 million, and the overall surplus was $257,634. Council used $1.225 million from the County’s $5 million fiscal stabilization reserve to offset the reduction in tax revenues in 2021. Another $1.775 million was used from this reserve to balance the 2022 budget. The County still has $2 million remaining in the fiscal stabilization reserve.

During 2022 Budget deliberations, Council chose to fund Phases 2 and 3 of the Main Street Revitalization Project and the new Aquatics Centre by debenture borrowing. These bylaws are now passed, and are the County’s first debentures since the Bold Center debenture was taken in 2010.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the County continued to see reduced revenues due to facility closures and an overall reduction in facility usage. The County did not receive additional funding to offset the increased expenses for pandemic-related safety measures.

The Finance Department seeks out, applies for, and manages grant funding contributions made to the County from various levels of government. These contributions help the County undertake new projects, support existing services, and recover costs.

The County applied for funding for various bridges, including bridge files 8807 (located in the Hylo-Venice area, south of Missawawi Lake), 72382 (located on Range Road 132 near Grandin), and 85387 (located on Range Road 144C at Maccagno Point) for $373,927, $1,387,500 and $405,000, respectively.

There are ongoing discussions with the Province regarding additional funding for the Nashim Bridge Replacement. The County is pursuing an additional $600,000 to support replacement costs not supported by standard Disaster Recovery Program (DRP) funding.

Lac La Biche County was approved for Alberta Municipal Wildfire Assistance Program (AMWAP) funding. This funding will help the County recover costs from the Hylo-Buffalo Lake Fire in the spring of 2021. The County anticipates receiving $130,000. The department applied for and received smaller grants, including the Canada Summer Jobs grant, and grants to support FireSmart activities.

The County administered funding agreements related to the Municipal Sustainability Project, Federal Gas Tax, and the ongoing Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) grant for the new Aquatics Centre.

PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT

In 2021, the department processed 137 development applications and 19 subdivision applications. There were 5 rezoning applications, 8 Land Use Bylaw amendments, and 2 Statutory Plan amendments, which included passing bylaws and preparing advertisements in accordance with the Municipal Government Act.

Planning staff continued to work on reducing red tape, and committed to reviewing bylaws and policies to help facilitate development in our County. They began the work necessary to make roadside development permits easier to acquire.

On March 19, 2021, staff posted an online presentation regarding updates to the County’s Environmental Reserve Bylaw. The presentation was placed on YouTube, and residents were invited to provide feedback.

A preliminary study was completed for the Municipal Development Plan (first approved in 2013), and staff will be working with consultants in 2022 to update the document. The existing document was prepared during a time of fast-paced growth in the oil and gas industries, and staff are looking forward to bringing the document up-to-date with new visions and goals.

Staff continued to collaborate with a variety of County departments and outside agencies, including Economic Development on a Business License Bylaw, the Inspections Group Inc. to review issued safety codes permits, TELUS on the Pure Fibre project, and County Council with a new vision for growth in the existing Lac La Biche East Area Structure Plan.