Reeve’s Message

Yes, the M.D. operated a little differently in 2020. Physical distancing, extra cleaning, masks, sanitizer in every public space, plexiglass partitions, and Council meetings on YouTube and Microsoft Teams. At least one of those things, digitally recorded Council meetings, will continue long into the future. While COVID-19 caused some upheaval as we learned new ways to reach out to our residents, no planned projects were cancelled. In fact, 2020 moved along at a fast pace as staff pulled together to achieve our budgeted objectives. The biggest highlight for Council was successfully negotiating the transfer of ID 349 land and tax revenue back to the M.D. of Bonnyville. On May 1, 2021, ID 349 ceased to exist, and the M.D. doubled in size. Many long-time residents will remember that the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range was once administered by the M.D., until it was turned over to what was then called Lakeland County.

It is hard to say that 2020 was a good year, since COVID-19 upended, and pretty much dominated, all our lives. No one has been unaffected by the pandemic. But COVID-19 did not stand in the way of success for the Municipal District of Bonnyville.

After two years of lobbying the provincial government in collaboration with our neighbouring urban municipalities – Town of Bonnyville, Village of Glendon and City of Cold Lake – an agreement was hammered out that will bring a longterm source of funding to the region. This funding, distributed based on an agreed upon formula benefiting all four partners, ensures that each municipality can continue to provide services to its residents and that this region will remain strong. In terms of projects, the incredibly wet spring and early summer did wreak havoc on our drainage priorities, and exposed further weaknesses in additional areas of the municipality. Drainage remediation was front and centre in the 2020 Budget and will remain at the top of the list for several years, as all of the work cannot be accomplished in one year – and maybe not even in one Council term. All of the work is planned and mapped out, but the accomplishment timeline is subject to Alberta Environment and Parks approvals. Using the newly created Road Classification System, a Road Assessment Map for the M.D. was completed in 2020, enabling Council to prioritize maintenance and road upgrades as we move forward. The assessment criteria was used to score all roads in the M.D., allowing Council and Administration to prioritize reconstruction, rehabilitation, and maintenance over five years. Roads will be continually assessed to ensure that any degradation is not missed. Maintaining our road infrastructure will remain Council’s highest priority. I am proud of Council’s commitment to provide recreation options for M.D. residents. In 2020, these outdoor initiatives, such as trails, campground upgrades, and boat dock improvements, proved to be necessary for our mental health as we faced down the threat of COVID-19. The beaches at Crane Lake and Minnie Lake were full throughout the summer as people enjoyed the great outdoors – socially distanced of course. Council was constantly reminded in 2020 how important it is to commit to supporting community groups. Whether that is community halls, agricultural societies, sports groups, or museums, Council learned through the pandemic that community support is what holds the fabric together to enable all of us to face adversity.