Mayor Gerald Aalbers. File Photo
Mayor Gerald Aalbers expects to cut at least one new red ribbon in 2023 while advancing some other outstanding project files such as the Lloydminster Place event arena.
Aalbers says the city’s top priority this year is to celebrate the commissioning and grand opening of the $81.5 million mechanical wastewater treatment facility.
The mayor expects that will happen closer to the end of the year. In fact, he said “that has to happen in 2023” to comply with Canadian environmental effluent water requirements and timelines.
The project was 65 per cent completed in Sept. 2022, the last time council received a project update.
“Priority No. 2 is securing as much funding as possible for the new Lloydminster Place event arena and making that final decision to move forward on a project I think will be very beneficial to the community,” said Aalbers.
The $86 million project is expected to be funded through municipal, federal, and joint provincial bodies with the city borrowing $33 million of the cost.
Aalbers says it’s a guess as to when the city will secure those federal and provincial funds.
“If I had that answer, we’d likely be moving things faster at City Hall,” he said.
“I’m hoping early in the new year. I have no indication of those decisions. They may just spring them on us. The sooner, the better.”
In the meantime, Aalbers is getting ready to join some members of the Lloydminster and District Health Advisory Council for a talk with Everett Hindley, the minister responsible for seniors, and rural and remote health in Saskatchewan in Regina on Jan. 25.
It will be an opportunity to discuss health service gaps in the Border City.
The advisory council has identified 15 health service gaps, including the issue of medical file transfers within all of Lloydminster.
Aalbers also expects to have good discussions with the health ministers from Saskatchewan and Alberta in 2023 to get the 2013 Lloydminster Integrated Health Services and Facility Infrastructure Needs Assessment updated.
Lloydminster residents have mailed dozens of letters to both ministers to get the plan revised as soon as possible in order to plan for new continuing care spaces in the area.
“It’s an ongoing battle,” said Aalbers.
“I think we will come together with a game plan with that and ensure the ministers fully understand the needs of our city and the surrounding area that serves a much greater area.”
Aalbers was also asked if the city can do anything to reduce the cost of living, especially for seniors with the added burden of a 4.8 per cent municipal tax levy increase, a taxation user fee increase of 4.5 per cent, plus a utility user fee increase of five per cent in the 2023 budget.
He says the cost of living is completely out of the control of the city because the same cost factors seniors experience is also affecting everyone else from single people to wage earners.
“We get put in a very tough spot,” said Aalbers. “We continue to support seniors as best as we can. The taxi program is an example. We support the Legacy Centre working with the volunteer groups, through FCSS and the programming we have.”
Aalbers says they will continue to do what they can at the taxpayer’s level driven from the city, but cautions it’s challenging.
“We’ll continue to inform the provincial and federal government what seniors are experiencing and where the need is greatest in our community,” he said.
Aalbers was also asked if he thinks this might be the year Costco revives its plan posted on Build Works Canada in December 2019 to construct a warehouse, liquor store and gas station in the city.
“I’m likely to be the last one to know. If they decided to move forward that will be on their account. We’ll wait and see,” he said.
“I know there’s been a lot of discussion in the city. I don’t know what to expect. I won’t even know a development permit is issued until I read it from someone else. Stay tuned.”
Neither of the two general contractors for the original project replied to our request for information about the status of the project, but a local Realtor affirmed it is still on file.
Costco Wholesale Canada pulled the plug on the project in early 2020 when COVID hit and oil prices hit rock bottom, negatively affecting the Alberta economy.
Costco corporate reported in its latest earnings call, the U.S.-based company plans to open 24 net new stores this year, including 15 in the U.S. and nine internationally.
There are 107 Costco retails in Canada as of Dec. 26, 2022, with Alberta locations serving an average population of 228.74k according to industry data.
