The ban means that as of this week we can not get our free-to-readers newspapers we pay Canada Post to deliver to rural boxes. This also applies to fliers that local businesses are attempting to get to their clients. Until CUPW sorts out its dispute please read the Leader online https://www.patreon.com/collection/1250234?view=expanded or pick up at your participating village or town offices and many community-minded businesses.
BY JANA SEMENIUK
There are was only one acclimation for this year’s election slated for Oct. 20.
After nominations closed on Sept. 22 at noon, the number of candidates for most municipalities exceeded the number of positions available ensuring a lively election.
In Andrew, there are nine candidates running for four council positions; incumbents John VanVyfeyken and Merwin Haight as well as newcomers Melissa Dyck, Kyle Stotyn, Heather Pauls, Carol Dubitz, James Rustad, Osama Hamed and Stacey Bodnarek. Hamed was a former Andrew councillor who resigned his position in 2022 after eight years. Running for mayor are Bill Romaniuk and current councillor Chris Lupul. Bruderheim has seven candidates running for four council positions and two candidates for the mayor position. The town dropped from seven council seats (including the mayor) down to
five in 2023. Running for council are incumbents Arlie Young and Dayna Jacobs along with newcomers Andrew Styles, Luis Diaz, Lesster Quijano Acosta and Gina Peters. Additionally, current mayor Karl Hauch’s name was removed from the mayor candidate list in July and put onto the candidate list for council on the nomination deadline Sept. 22. Candidates for mayor are newcomer Ron Ewasiuk and incumbent town councillor George Campbell. In Chipman there are six candidates running for three positions. They are Jennifer Ausman, Tammie Lemky, Joseph Gallant and Evelyn McNaughton as well as incumbents Shana McIntyre and Morris Langevin. The village’s mayor is decided among the new council at the organizational
meeting held soon after the election.
The Town of Lamont has seven candidates running for six council positions and two candidates for the mayor position. Running for council are Lynn Huxley, Christopher Mintenko and Heather Rideout along with incumbents Linda Sieker, Colleen Holowaychuk, Perry Koroluk and Al Harvey. Running for Mayor are incumbent Jody Foulds and newcomer Paul Desrosiers.
In the County of Lamont five council positions are up for grabs, one in each division. There are two candidates for Division one; incumbent Daniel Warawa and newcomer Gerald Thorowsky while in Division two incumbent Aaron Wick was acclaimed. In Division three there are two candi-
dates, incumbent Reeve David Diduck and newcomer John Uganecz, while in Division four, three are running; incumbent Roy Anaka and newcomers Tammy Pickett and Brent Matiaszow. Division five has two candidates; incumbent Neil Woitas and newcomer Natasha Phair. The County holds a vote among the council members annually for the Reeve and Deputy Reeve positions.
Mundare has seven candidates running for four council seats and three candidates running for the mayor chair. The seven council candidates are; incumbents Danika Brison, Glen Rozumniak and Irene Talaga along with newcomers Geoffrey Hughes, Jennifer Johner and Dana Rankin. Current Mayor Cheryl Calinoiu is also stepping away from the mayor position to run for a council seat. Meanwhile, the three candidates for mayor are Rick Patrie, William (Bill) Rankin and Kent Santo.
BY JANA SEMENIUK
The Towns of Lamont and Bruderheim, as well as a Lamont residence’s garage, were the scene for filming the exciting new Oilers video promoting their newly designed alternate jersey. The video finished filming in Aug. and was launched on Sept. 20.
Lamont Chief Administrative Officer Tyler Edworthy updated the town council on the project during the Sept. 9 council meeting.
“They've chosen the Lamont arena and a local resident’s garage as the new promotional video location that was filmed back in Aug. with the theme of rural, small-town hockey,” said Edworthy. “Administration's going to work with the Oilers Entertainment
Group on any promotional opportunities, some things that we can leverage with the video. We'll see what we can and can't do, and we'll try to leverage this as much as possible. But it's some great news, and I guess they got a pretty great video to share with everyone, so it's pretty exciting.”
Information provided in the Town’s meeting agenda package said that the production team began filming Aug. 13 with set-up and shooting, including video and photos, taking place in a local resident’s garage, and then in various locations in the Lamont arena, including dressing rooms, players tunnel to the ice, arena interior, and the skate sharpener room. Bruderheim’s Karol Maschmeyer Arena was also fea-
tured in the film.
Meanwhile, the team’s new jersey is described as ‘an ode to oil country’ by Oilers Entertainment Group spokesperson Dan Cote-Rosen in an online media report. It has a nostalgic feel, slightly tan in colour with oil drop details in the S.
“It’s the first time we’ve ever put Oil Country on a jersey,” said Cote-Rosen. “Hopefully they (the fans) will like it as much as we do.”
The video has been shared to the Lamont Leader social media page.
According to reports the Oilers will wear the new jersey, designed by former Fort Saskatchewan man Brandon McMurchy, seven times this season.
2 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, September 24, 2025
BY JOHN MATHER
An Industrial Heartland Career Forum hosted in Fort Saskatchewan earlier this year has won the 2025 Minister’s Award for Municipal and Public Library Excellence in the Partnership Category for communities over 10,000.
Schools from around the region including Lamont and Sturgeon Counties attended the forum sponsored by Fort Saskatchewan, Lamont County, Sturgeon County and Alberta’s Industrial Heartland.
The forum was held at Fort Saskatchewan’s Dow Centennial Centre.
More than 500 participants connected with indemand industrial career opportunities in Alberta’s Industrial
Heartland.
This free event was created in response to a 2024 Regional Labour Market Study, which identified critical workforce shortages in skilled trades and industry.
The forum offered targeted sessions for both students and those exploring career transitions, alongside an interactive exhibitor hall highlighting in-demand industrial careers, educational pathways, and resources to support professional growth in sectors including construction, oil and gas, manufacturing, and emerging technologies.
To ensure accessibility, the event provided free transportation, childcare, and interpretation services. All sessions were recorded and are still
available online.
“This award highlights the strength of regional collaboration,” said AIHA Executive Director, Mark Plamondon.
“The Industrial Heartland Career Forum was made possible thanks to the dedication of our municipal partners and the contributions of our sponsors, exhibitors, and speakers, who helped create an inclusive, engaging, and impactful event for our community. One of this region’s greatest strengths is our skilled workforce, and we are proud to support its growth and development.”
The Career Forum is expected to become an annual event.
BY JANA SEMENIUK
A $9,000 fire bill, received by the Village of Chipman for a Feb. 25 structure fire, was upheld by Lamont County after being disputed by the Village.
Chipman Councillor Trudy Smith and Chipman Chief Administrative Officer Pat Tomkow met with Lamont County council members in-camera at the Sept. 9 council meeting to discuss the bill. Soon after, council
emerged with a motion made by Division two Councillor Aaron Wick. “I make a motion that Lamont County council uphold the February 25, 2025 invoice and forgive interest charges if paid before October 31, 2025 as discussed during the interim municipal matter in closed meeting,” he said. Council carried the motion unanimously.
According to RCMP, the Feb. 25 fire was started by a wood stove inside a shed. There were
no injuries reported.
Chipman Councillor Trudy Smith said, in earlier statements, she objected to the number of fire trucks dispatched to the scene and not used, while CAO Tomkow also felt the response was ‘excessive’.
BY JANA SEMENIUK
Big changes are in store for the Elk Island Pubic Schools board this election as only three of the current seven trustees are seeking re-election Oct. 20.
The board held their final meeting on Sept. 18 before the election scheduled for Oct. 20.
Lamont County trustee Colleen Holowaychuk was the only candidate for her area and acclaimed this election. Strathcona County North of Wye Road trustee and Vice Chair Susan Miller and Fort Saskatchewan trustee Ralph Sorochan are the only other incum-
bents looking to keep their seats.
Holowaychuk is also simultaneously running for re-election on the Lamont Town Council.
Those not seeking reelection include board chair Cathy Allen who has served one term, Sherwood Park Trustee Trina Boymook, who has been on the board since 2013 and also the former board chair for several years, Vegreville trustee, Randy Footz, who was first elected in 2017 and acclaimed for a second term in 2021, in addition to Sherwood Park Trustee Don Irwin who was also first elected in 2017. Two additional for-
mer trustees, Fort Saskatchewan trustee Jaqueline Shotbolt and trustee Jim Seuter resigned earlier in the term but no by-election was held to fill their spots.
Footz said, during the Sept. 18 board meeting, that he was thankful to the board members and administration for their hard work and dedication.
“It’s been eight years,” he said. “Everyone sets their egos aside with this group. When there’s work to be done it gets done. Thank you for all that I know you will continue to do and good luck in the upcoming
BY MELISSA
MACINTOSH-YOUNG
The Bruderheim Agricultural Society wrapped up the summer season in high spirits recently, hosting its lively Harvest Hootenanny filled with activities for the whole family.
The event drew residents and visitors alike to enjoy a weekend of games, friendly competition, and community fun.
Crowd favourites included the alwaysthrilling lawn mower races, a spirited tug of war, children’s games, and colourful face painting.
Adding even more excitement to the weekend was a two-day slowpitch ball tournament, organized by Bruderheim’s own Alison Diaz.
Eight teams hit the diamond in pursuit of
the grand prize, showcasing plenty of talent and camaraderie.
After a full slate of games, it was Team Big Sticks from Athabasca who came out on top, taking home the $1,000 first-place prize. Between the laughter
of kids, the cheers from the ball field, and the smoky scent of the barbecue, the Harvest Hootenanny proved once again why community gatherings remain at the heart of small-town life.
election.”
Including the incumbents, there are four candidates running for two positions in Fort Saskatchewan; Tiffany Bergmann, Lareina Dibben, Leah Floyd and incumbent Ralph Sorochan. Seven new candidates running for three positions in Sherwood Park; Dave Anderson, Leah
Canning, Dean James Kokaschke, Merle Morrisseau, Francis Poole, Kaye Schindeler and Tom Sunderland. Two candidates are running for one position North of Wye Road; incumbent Susan Miller and Jessica Boyden and two candidates are running for one position South of Wye Road; Kelly Dick and Krista Scott.
New County of Minburn candidate, Bryan Butler, went unchallenged and was acclaimed into his position.
This will make a fifth term serving on the school board for Holowaychuk. She was first elected in 2010, then acclaimed for each of the following four terms.
BY JOHN MATHER
This Alberta Sovereignty nonsense is beginning to get out of hand.
There are several vocal organizations that have shouted from the hilltops that this province must separate itself from the rest of Canada if it is to reach its true potential.
There is another group that is asking people to sign a petition whether they would or would not like to remain in Canada
This petition started by former Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk has been sanctioned by Elections Alberta while no separation petition has. Some are before the courts.
I looked on the Forever Canada website and it appears they have multiple locations where people can sign their petition.
Most are in the province’s urban centres.
I saw one petition location in Camrose but none in Lamont County or Beaver County. No sign of this petition in Bruderheim, Lamont, Chipman, Andrew or Mundare.
Nor does it appear to have traction in Tofield, Ryley or Holden. Maybe there areas are chocked full of diehard separatists.
Or more likely, like me, they just don’t care about any of these frivolous petitions.
They are residents of both Alberta and Canada!
Like me they have Canadian birth certificates from the province they were born in and Canadian passports.
They pay income tax to Canada.
It’s been that way in Alberta since 1905.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has stated on many occasions she is a supporter of Canadian unity. This has raised the ire of one separatist group.
The Republican Party of Alberta, – a party that holds no seats in the Alberta Legislature, stated in a press release this past weekend, “The Republican Party of Alberta (RPA) condemns Premier Danielle Smith’s shocking declaration that she is “doing everything I can” to prevent a vote on Alberta sovereignty. This statement is a betrayal of a growing number of Albertans and UCP members demanding independence from Canada.”
Well, there may be some claiming to separate from Canada, but is it the majority?
The RPA states it is around 40 per cent. Certainly when I took math that wasn’t a majority.
The Republican Party of Alberta goes on, “Her refusal to embrace Alberta independence is not leadership; it is capitulation”
RPA Leader Cameron Davies said, “Danielle Smith’s attempt to stifle Alberta’s sovereignty vote is a cowardly retreat. Her backpedaling proves she’s more loyal to her political survival than to our future.”
While there is a modicum of truth in this statement, she is looking at her political survival (that’s part of her job) it’s not the whole truth.
She is also representing the majority of Albertans’ interests in getting a better deal for our oil and gas industries, our agriculture industries and our mining industries.
You have to work with the Federal government to accomplish this and unlike the previous Trudeau government, the Liberals under Prime Minister Carney have signalled they are open to dialogue, something Trudeau was not.
So then Jason Kenny the former Alberta Premier wades into the conversation stating this issue of separation will split up communities, neighbours and possibly even families. Last week he went public with comments on the topic of separation.
Kenney said separatists have been working in Alberta for half a century and have had little success except for Gordon Kesler of the Western Canada Concept party in a 1982 byelection.
“They’ve only managed to win one riding, once, in a by-election in (Olds-Didsbury) in
1982 at the height of the National Energy Program, which they shortly thereafter lost,” he said.
“Over 50 years they’ve failed to win. They couldn’t get elected dogcatcher in this province, because they don’t actually have real support.
Kenney is on record opposing separation and said his stance has brought attacks on social media calling him a traitor and urging he be executed.
Well, there are silly keyboard warriors everywhere who issue threats and harassing comments under the guise of social media anonymity.
So why does he keep bringing it up and keeping it alive?
That’s what I can’t understand.
With Lukaszuk’s petition, I can see him using this petition as a means of capturing names and addresses he might utilize in a future bid for the provincial NDP leadership after Naheed Nenshi flames out.
He has never stated what his position would be if his petition asking, “Do you agree that Alberta should remain in Canada?” got a resounding “No” vote in its result.
I really think it's all about him trying to remain relative in the political spectrum.
For me and many like me I have a Canadian passport, a Canadian social security number and a complete Canadian identity.
I don’t need to sign a petition to prove it one way or another.
BY HAZEL ANAKA
By the time you read this, nomination day for October’s municipal elections will have come and gone. Also passed will be the deadline for candidates who may wish to withdraw their names. Even the first extension for late nominations will be over. An extension becomes necessary in those cases where not enough people have filed nomination papers to fill all the council seats. A five-person council requires at least five nominees. The extension continues one day at a time for up to seven days before the Minister of Municipal Affairs intervenes. At that point, he/she has the discretion to reduce the size of the council without the public consultation process and
notice period spelled out in the legislation. The whole nomination process has changed since my time in the mid1990s. Candidates now have the chance to signal their intention to run months in advance of the actual nomination date. Municipalities also require a clean criminal record check in addition to the signature page of qualified voters and the cash deposit. I was thrilled to learn that elected candidates will not be sworn in until they complete mandatory training. I was always shocked and dismayed that some people never availed themselves of the training provided to help them do the job for which they were elected. That training may have been offered by the governing body (like Rural Municipalities Association RMA), legal firms, government departments governing things like municipal assessments, FOIPP, and others. Someone coming to the job with a know-itall-attitude doesn’t bode well for the council or the community it represents.
After the slate of candidates is complete bal-
lot and sign orders can be printed and campaigns begin. Candidate signs will begin popping up on lawns in town and important intersections in the country. This election is a big one in that it includes all the cities, towns, villages, summer villages, municipal districts and counties in the province. Polling places will be rented, workers will be hired and trained. Brochures or other campaign literature will be ready to be bulk mailed or left at the doorstep. Newspaper ads will be booked; interviews will be granted. Door knocking will begin in earnest. And then, finally on October 20th, it’s our turn to do our part. To get to the right polling place to mark a ballot after a careful weighing of the options. To bring whatever ID is required this go-round without complaint. To reward incumbents who’ve represented you well, addressed your concerns, and treated the job of councillor with as much dedication, wisdom, and experience as possible. This is not the time or place for the lazy, the frivolous, the foolhardy, or those on a
vendetta of some sort. Issues are real and complex; budgets are never large enough to please everyone; needs and demands are growing; partnerships and prudent decisions are vital. Does your preferred candidate conduct themselves appropriately whether chatting over a truck end gate or meet-
ing a minister at the legislature? Can your candidate see the big picture in all matters? Does your candidate read the meeting packages and ask those questions a prudent person in control of public funds would ask? Do they have a defensible track record of attendance, weighing all sides before making a deci-
sion, and treating both staff and ratepayers fairly? Do they take their role and responsibility seriously? Do they treat you and your concerns with respect? Do they follow-up and keep you informed even when the answer isn’t the one you wanted?
These questions and more should form the basis of our voting decision on October 20th, from where I sit.
Bruderheim
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BY JANA SEMENIUK
The Town of Bruderheim officially reopened their local clinic doors Sept. 15, making way for their new virtual physician services known as the Rocket Doctor.
According to their website, the Rocket Doctor allows patients to ‘connect to a fully licensed Canadian physician for a medical consultation’ including, (but not limited to) routine check ups, illnesses, prescription refills and specialist referrals.
Appointments are held online, similar to the virtual medical care experienced during the COVID pandemic.
Local elected officials Mayor Karl Hauch, Councillor George Campbell and Councillor Arlie Young came to the open house, in addition to RhPAP (Rural Health Professions Action Plan) Rural Community Consultant Anya Langkow, Bruderheim Chief Administrative Officer Phyllis Forsyth and executive assistant Natalie Nichols.
Bruderheim’s previous doctor, Dr. Ebele Mgbor, moved her practice to Calgary last year leaving the medical space beside the town’s pharmacy vacant.
Forsyth said that Nichols discovered the virtual option which residents can use at the clin-
ic if they are not set up at home with a webcam to use for their appointments.
“This is another tool for us to help our residents have access to a doctor here in Bruderheim,” said Forsyth.
“You can schedule your appointment and attend it from your home, but for those that are a little bit more challenged, we'll bring you here. We're open three to six on Thursdays and we'll help set you up an appointment and get you set up in the virtual healthcare room.
“Not everything can be done through Rocket Doctor, but our pharmacist is a prescribing pharmacist, which is an absolute big plus, so he can (also) help you.”
Councillor Young was enthusiastic about the new option for residents and said it’s a ‘game changer’.
“This is going to be pretty exciting. A game changer,” he said. “Really good set up in there.”
Forsyth said Nichols applied for a
Municipality Supported Clinics grant, worth $6,500 per year, that would cover the costs of having a staff member man the front desk for three hours each week.
Councillor Campbell was also happy to see residents have more options for medical care.
“I feel that this is one of our more progressive ventures to our community. Not only will this enhance the community, it will also enhance the business future of our pharmacist here,” said Campbell.
RhPAP rural community consultant Anya Langkow said she was happy to see rural residents being able to access health care in town through the Rocket Doctor.
“I'm excited to see a community like Bruderheim exploring different ways to support their residents with health care,” she said.
“We know in rural it's crucial that we keep health care close to home and residents have the access to the care that they need in the communities that they live in.”
BY JOHN MATHER
A property that had come before council a couple of times this summer once again came before Bruderheim council Sept. 17, this time with a lower price than the Town had hoped to receive.
The property at 4939 53 Avenue had been taken by the town in 2022.
The new offer was submitted for $45,000, Chief Administrative Officer Phylis Forsyth told council.
A deposit of $2,000 had to be paid by the unnamed purchaser two days after the council meeting with the full amount due to the Town on Sept. 20.
She said the Town would provide title insurance in lieu of a real property report.
Deputy Mayor Dayna Jacobs asked what the property had been appraised at and Forsyth
replied $40,300.
Councillor George Campbell felt any time he entered into a contract he knew the name of the purchaser but he didn’t in this case.
Campbell felt there were deficiencies on the property such as a well that should be filled-in that were addressed in the purchase contract and he felt that could present a safety issue and the Town could be liable. He felt there should be conditions attached to the sale agreement.
Councillor Ashley Carter felt those concerns had been around before any offer to purchase was made, but Campbell felt anytime there was a safety concern, “it should be mitigated as soon as possible.”
He admitted the Town should have looked after this but still felt it should
be part of the contract to purchase.
Councillor Len Falardeau said he couldn’t understand the timelines of the deal.
“I don’t like this,” he said. “I can’t support it. It’s come before us a couple of times and we said we wanted $55,000. Give us the $55,000 and the buyer can have it.”
He felt the buyer had been playing the council.
Deputy Mayor Jacobs asked what offers had been received.
Forsyth replied the first time there had not been a firm offer and the second time it came to council, an offer had been made for $50,000.
At that time a quorum of council hadn’t been achieved.
When asked if the latest offer was from the same individual Forsyth said it was.
This prompted Campbell to say “so he’s
BY JOHN MATHER
As the golf season winds down in this part of Alberta, a fundraising golf tournament has been organized to help the Lamont Curling Club.
The curling club needs a new ice plant which has a large replacement cost.
On October 4, the Fort Saskatchewan Golf and Curling Club is hosting a golf tournament to help raise funds for this project.
According to Lynn Huxley the idea came up because she plays in the Fort Saskatchewan Ladies Golf League.
“Adam Peterson, the golf course manager had seen that our ice plant had gone,” she said.
“He asked what he could do to help and later he suggested he could help us host a golf tournament.”
I took the idea back to our directors and they agreed.
“Adam has been very supportive of this,” she said.
The tournament is a best ball four member team scramble and Huxley said it is totally full.
“We have four teams on a waiting list right now.”
The Lamont Curling Club has been active in Lamont for the past 45 years and having to replace the ice plant is a big project.
Huxley said the club has set a fundraising goal of about 150,000 to help offset the cost of the plant which could cost up to $700,000.
Curling club board members have been going to various municipal councils in Lamont County asking for financial support and they
lowered his purchase price to $45,000?”
Carter said if everyone had shown up at the special meeting then that wouldn’t have happened which prompted a quick retort from Campbell.
Falardeau said they had made a motion to defer the sale and the special meeting could not have produced a legal motion.
Mayor Karl Hauch said nothing illegal had happened and said the offer on the table was the one they had to vote on.
“This guy started at $40,000 and then went up to $50,000 and then dropped it back to $45,000. I’ve never seen something like that in my entire life,” stated Campbell.
“This guy is playing us. If he wants the property he should be back with the highest offers he
presented to us.
“I agree with selling the property but I think this guy is playing us. I think it smells but it’s better than nothing.
will apply for grants.
Huxley said she wasn’t sure how the season would be affected at the start of the season.
She said the club is still seeking sponsorship for the golf tournament in the form of hole sponsors and anyone who could donate prizes.
“The Town of Lamont has been absolutely marvellous in helping us with grants to get all of this together,” she added.
Huxley said there was a meeting at the end of this week to determine when the season could start.
“We know we’ll have a season but I’m not sure yet when it will start.”
She said the old ice plant “is totally done” and they were dependent on the new ice plant to rescue the season.
“I’ll be watching what happens here,’ he concluded prior to a vote on the sale
The motion to sell the property was then carried.
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BY JANA SEMENIUK
A land acknowledgement policy, forcing the acknowledgement of gathering on Treaty Six Territory, was approved at Andrew Council’s regular council meeting Sept. 22 with one opposed.
Councillor Chris Lupul asked for a recorded vote when his hand was the only one raised in opposition of the policy.
In a later interview, Lupul explained that other municipalities have been moving away from the recitation, usually said to open meetings, and if the Village were to keep it, the acknowledgement
should be expanded to encompass all local settlers.
“I guess my point is that most other municipalities have gone away from a land acknowledgement, then why are we hanging on to this?
The point has been made,” he said.
“If we’re going to keep doing it then we should expand on it and give credit to everybody that helped build this country.”
Land acknowledgements became popular from 2015 onwards, due to the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, according to an article by Alison
Norman, research advisor for the Ontario Ministry of Indigenous Affairs.
She states, however, that the TRC’s Calls for Action do not mention a
need for acknowledgement statements, yet “their use has been stimulated by land claims and the assertion of treaty rights over many decades.”
Andrew Councillor Chris Lupul
BY JOHN MATHER
During the Sept. 17 Bruderheim Council meeting, Councillor George Campbell asked for an update on the former hemp plant site. He had expressed concern earlier in the summer wondering about what was happening with the huge amount of hemp bales still on the property and what fire risks they posed in the area.
Chief Administrative Officer Phyllis Forsyth stated she had been in contact with Lamont Regional Fire Chief Bo Moore who talked to the new plant managers about the emergency plans and the temporary development plan which had been approved by the Town.
“In a permit issued to the plant operators was a clause stating noxious weed growth had to be addressed and when I came to the meeting tonight I noticed the plant looked much better than it had and there has been considerable clean up.”
She added the hemp bales themselves were private property and “I
have no knowledge of what sort of clean up of those is happening.
“No development has been applied for as of yet and at that time the Town could get involved.”
She reported the plant operators were testing the existing equipment to see what was needed to make the plant work as a hemp processing facility.
She said she would be talking with the owners at the end of the month to see if they wanted to move forward.
At that time, if they do, a new development permit will be required and conditions of that would be the completion of the storm water mitigation ponds, the appropriate Alberta Transportation permits, and just a better storage area and what is the amount of bales that would be allowed on the property.”
Campbell said one of his biggest concerns was an area between the bales and bush to the north had not been cleaned up and it was full of thistles and he felt there should have been a
fire guard along that entire area.
“If there’s a spark in that area, and there’ll be nothing to keep a fire from going from that bush and jump into those bales.”
He added with the dry season the town had experienced this summer “it’s a big concern to me.”
“That’s one of the areas they should have been cleaning up first,” he stated.
He felt they should put a fire guard there. He felt Chief Moore should have pressed for that when he viewed the property.
Forsyth agreed but said there was nothing she could do about it as there was no original agreement in place.
Mayor Karl Hauch asked if Moore could attend a council meeting to discuss the situation and Forsythe said she would check.
Currently in Lamont County, land acknowledgements are said out loud to open council meetings in Bruderheim and Andrew while being posted only on screen in the Town of Lamont. The Village of Chipman, Town of Mundare and County of Lamont currently do not recite land acknowledgements at their council meetings.
Congratulations to Jim & Val Fielding on your 50th Wedding Anniversary September 27!
Love from the family. ————————————————
With deep sorrow we announce the death of Helene Page, who passed away peacefully in Airdrie on August 12, 2025 at the age of 85.
Her ashes will be scattered at Forestburg Cemetery at noon on October 4, 2025 in a small ceremony attended by family. All are welcome to attend.
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Brian's Market will not be beside the Drug Store in Daysland unless there are orders for raspberries or tomatoes, when they are ready, or strawberries if they get ready. It will only be for pickup orders, so you must call Brian for an appointment to get a time and day for pickup, at 780-678-0053. Brian's Market Garden would like to thank Mark and M.J. Badry for letting me use the empty lot by the Drug Store. I also would like to thank Flagstaff County for letting me take part in the Market, and I also want to thank all the customers who came out to support me in 2025.
Thanks to all who attended Ronald Fossen’s Celebration of Life and for all donations to your chosen charity in Dad’s memory. Special thanks to Dr. Hanton and staff of the Killam Hospital, and the Doctors and staff at the Daysland Hospital, as well as to the Forestburg Fire Department and EMS. Thanks, too, to Fee & Sons Funeral Home.
From Clint, Dan, Wayne, and Rick and their families
Order Fall Potatoes and Carrots!!! East of Sedgewick, off Highway 13, turn north on RR122, then go north 3 miles. Helen Tanton - 780-888-6800
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Text or call Treena at 780-385-1936 or email her at flagstaffconnector@gmail.com to register or find out more. Starting this October.
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Once again we are fundraising for the MK5K walk, to raise money for the Mary Ash Charitable Foundation. Your donation will support women living with cancer and fights against domestic violence. If you would like to donate and get the link for a tax receipt, contact Sonya Martens 780-240-4605. Donate by September 30, 2025.
Variety Vendor Markets in Hardisty and Killam. Discover local businesses, crafters, and hot/cold food. Hardisty Elk’s Hall, Saturday, September 27, Noon to 8 p.m.
Killam United Church Tuesday, October 7, 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Apply with Tiffany 780-280-0690
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Join us for a Free Movie Night. Build your awareness and understanding for Truth and Reconciliation. Flagstaff Community Adult Learning and DKR United Churches are inviting you to a viewing of the award winning documentary "The Pass System" on Thursday, Sept 24th at 7 pm at the Killam Theatre (The Living Room) on Main Street. Refreshments to follow. Ages 12+.
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Storage Unit For Rent in Killam
Inside private warehouse building behind Community Press office. Security cameras on site, building heated in winter. Upstairs units available, approx 8’ x 12’. Back alley access only.
$99/mo. with $100 damage deposit. Or pre-pay for 6 months for $495 (1 month free) or pre-pay for 1 year for $990 (2 months free).
Rental contract required. First month due at signing. Call/Leave Voicemail for Ally 780-385-6693 or stop by The Community Press office on Main Street in Killam.
Pyrenees Puppies, 7 months old. Female and male. Asking $100. Call Garth at 780-688-3514.
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Great Pyrenees about 1.5 years old. 2 females and 1 male, in the Holden area. Asking $200 per dog. Call 780-688-3514
TM37P
Multiple Items For Sale
GREAT PRICES!!!!!!
Located in Viking, AB Chop Saw & Stand $300 Electric Mower $250 Scroll Saw $120 Air Tools $200 Golf Clubs $500 Plus many more toolssome never even used! Call Victor at 587-306-3806
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Equipment For Sale
• Zero Turn Cub Cadet Lawnmower 54" with approximately 250 hours 2 years old
• Kubota Side by Side with Dump Box
• Massey Ferguson model 255 with approximately 3,000 hours with ease-on front end loader.
• Restored W30 International. New paint, runs good. Call Norman at 780-385-8814. 33/37p
WHITE SPRUCE TREES: 5’ average $50. Installation ONLY $19. Includes: hole augered, Wurzel Dip enzymes injection, bark mulch application, staking. Minimum order 25. One-time fuel charge: $150 - 225. Crystal Springs. 403-820-0961. Quality guaranteed.
JP’s Country Daycare located in Daysland, Alberta is looking for full-time and part-time Early Childhood Educators - ECEs. Willing to train, Government Top Up, Wage to be discussed based on experience. Resumes can be sent to jpcountrydaycare@gmail.com 36/39c
Professional lady, children's entertainer living/working in Flagstaff region for next year or two, looking for room/ apartment/house to rent anywhere in Flagstaff County, by Oct. 1. Non-smoking preferred. References available. Call Victoria at 780-781-3713 38p
Section Pastureland NE 35 & NW 36-41-10-W4 located south of Hardisty in the Battle River valley at RR 101 & TWP RD 420. Fenced, cross-fenced, mix of seeded and tame grass with large dug-out, pumping system, full power on site with gravel revenue. Call Mike Golka REMAX River City 780-914-9889 MLS#’s E4447511 & E4447499 tfnc
Looking for New Farm & Commercial Listings! Give us a call, we’d love to sell your property! Hill Realty Inc. 780-449-5622 nhill01@telus.net www.hillrealty.ca
BY MELISSA
MACINTOSH-YOUNG
Pitchfork
Gardens
owners Aaron and Dawn Geiger, once again opened their greenhouses and fields for the 6th annual “Beat the Frost” U-Pick fundraiser in support of the Lamont County Food Bank.
The popular event invites visitors to harvest vegetables before the first frost hits the gardens, with proceeds going directly to help stock the local food bank’s shelves for the fall and winter months.
Guests were able to purchase a sack for $15,
going directly to the food bank, and fill it with fresh produce such as tomatoes, potatoes, and beets, while knowing their efforts were helping neighbours in need.
The fundraiser has grown steadily since it first began six years ago.
BY JANA SEMENIUK
Vegreville RCMP Staff
Sgt. Colin Folk gave a policing update to the Lamont County Council members during their Sept. 9 council meeting, and expressed frustration at no action taken by the Province to increase the safety at the intersection of Highway 16 and 855 south of Mundare.
Three motor vehicle collisions occurred within two weeks of each other this July claiming the lives of a 61-year-old man in one crash, and a 17-year-old girl in another.
“I don't know what the action plan is going to be. I know that there's been some push from your end on that intersection. It astonishes me that nothing's been done with that intersection,”
said Folk. “I hope that we can gain some traction with getting some reduction in speed there, or some traffic control device there.”
Folk said he and Lamont County Chief Administrative Officer Peter Tarnawsky were working together submitting information to the government in hopes of sparking some action.
Tarnawsky said he read Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshan’s comments in the newspaper speaking against speed limits and traffic lights being installed and said he couldn’t understand why the minister felt that way.
“It’s strange,” said Tarnawsky. “Because that happens somewhat
UNRESERVED 2-DAY FARM EQUIPMENT AND ANTIQUE AUCTION SALE
ALBERTA SATURDAY, OCT. 4 AT 10:00 A.M.
SUNDAY, OCT. 5, 2025 AT 10:00 A.M.
DIRECTIONS: Being from the Junction of Highway 28 West of Redwater and Opal Rd (Rg Rd. 224) go 2 miles north to Township Rd 580, then 1/2 mile west.
Tractors: JD 4430 Powershift Trans, triple hyd., dual PTO, duals, CAH, approx 9000 hrs., S/N 4430T030594R; White 2-150 Tractor Field Boss, CAH, duals, dual hyd.
regularly on the highway network throughout the province.”
Minister Dreeshan, speaking through his press secretary Husam Khalo, explained his position in an earlier email to the Lamont Leader.
“Installing traffic lights at this location is not recommended due to the high speed and rural nature of the highway, which can create new safety risks for drivers approaching at highway speeds,” said Dreeshen.
“Similarly, speed limits are set based on engineering assessments to ensure safe travel while maintaining traffic flow on this critical provincial corridor. That said, we are continuing to monitor traffic volumes and collision data at this location to ensure it remains safe for all users.”
In the meantime, Sgt. Folk said they would have to keep pushing until action was taken.
“We have to keep pushing that issue until something's changed there, because I don't know how many lives we need to see lost at that intersection,” said Folk.
According to RCMP Cpl. Troy Savinkoff, 13 collisions have occurred at the intersection since 2022 with four of them fatal.
Vehicles: 1980 Chev 60 3T Truck, V8, 5x2 sp trans, 18-ft box, hoist, roll tarp, S/N C16DBAV101426; 1968 Ford 2T Cabover Truck c/w V8, new 16-ft box & hoist, roll tarp, new rubber, S/N C80WUC73077; 1980 GMC 35 Aristocrat 18-ft Motorhome, awning, nice & clean, S/N 2GD5G31M1B4506909; 1976 F150 Ford Ranger Supercab, 400 eng, auto, S/N X155KD29705; 1980 GMC IT Dually Truck, 454 eng, 4-sp, trans c/w Steel Welding Deck S/N TCU33AV678557; 1956 GMC 2T Truck c/w grain box & hoist; 332 V8 4sp; 1969 Chev Cab Over Fire Truck, V8, 4sp, S/N TE639P867981; 1952 IHC 1T Truck, 6 cyl. 4sp trans, stepside, box; 1986 Chev Caprice; 81-82 Chev Impalas; 1972 Monte Carlo; NOTE: Cars not running Trailers: SWS 16-ft Tandem Axle Trailer c/w 7 1/2 ft x 16 ft deck c/w ramps, like new, S/N 34666 Single Axle Trailer c/w 8-ft x 10-ft deck, NVSN; Single Axle Trailer c/w 4-ft x 8-ft box & tarp, NVSN; Single Axle Trailer c/w 8-ft x12-ft tilt deck & lights, NVSN
Recreational: 1969-72 Skidoo Snowmobiles, not running; 2018 Polaris Ranger 4x4, Side by Side, diesel, dump box, S/N 4XARTAD13J887, 386 hrs; Cat 650 Quad 4x4 c/w winch & front & rear racks, S/N 44F06ATV67T2, 186 hrs
Vintage Tractors: Ferguson TEA 20 Tractor, PTO, 3-ph; Cockshutt 30 Gas; Cockshutt 30 Gas PTO, pulley; IHC W6 gas, PTO, pulley; Case DC, Pulley PTO; Oliver Super 88 gas hyd., PTO, Pulley; MH 33 Special Rowcrop, PTO, pulley; Fordson Major Longhorn, pulley, PTO, 3-ph; JD D, Electric Start, new rubber, PTO; Case S, hyd, pulley, PTO; MH 44 Special, Gas, PTO, pulley; MM U, Pulley, PTO; AC WD 45 PTO, 2-point hitch; MH 44 c/w hyd., PTO, pulley; 15-30 McCormick; Cockshutt 550 Gas, Hyd, pulley; MH 101 Junior Twin Power; Cockshutt 40 gas, PTO, pulley; Oliver 40 Gas Hyd, PTO, pulley; Cockshutt 40 hyd., PTO, pulley; Case VA, PTO, pulley; NOTE: All the tractors have not run for many years. Always shedded
Machinery: NH 688 Autowrap Round Baler c/w gathering wheels, 540 PTO; NH 315 Square Baler, hyd., tension, super sweep pick-up; NH 1033 Square Bale Wagon; 2 Wheel Front Mount Swath Turner; NH 144 Hay Converter; NH 1100 12-ft SP Haybine; Vicon 5W Hay Rake; Allied 24ft Bale Elevator; NH 1033 Bale Wagon; NH 1100 SP Haybine, parts; MF 760 Diesel SP Combine; Kongskilde 500 Grain Vac c/w hoses; JD 15-ft 800 SP Swather; Farm King 15-section Harrow Draw Bar c/w HD harrows; Farm King 620 3-ph or Trailer Rough Cut Mower; Farm King HD Wagon, c/w deck, hauls 14 bales; JD 3100 6Bottom Plow c/w coulters; 2 Wheel Swather Mover; 10-ft Root Rake c/w hyd. lift; Allied 7-inch x 36-ft Auger c/w 16-hp motor; Case 6 x 6-inch Plow c/w coulters Miscellaneous: JD C20 16-ft VS Cultivator; Wooden Wheel Wagon c/w grain box; Horse Sleigh; Covered Wagon c/w poles, no tarp; Bobsleigh; Minature Horse Wagon; Poly Feeder; New Tombstone Feeder; Clover Bar Saddle; Assort Horse Tack; Assort Feed Tubs; New Trailer Wood Splitter; (2) 3-ph Yard Sprayers; Anhydrous Gophinator Tank; Soil Saver 3-ph 8-ft Cultivator; AC 2-ph Semi-Mount 7-ft Mower; IHC No. 80 Pull Type Combine; AC Roto Baler; Ferguson 8-ft Drag Disc; 3-ph 8-ft Cult; New 3/4-inch Plywood; Tidy Tank c/w EL pump; Genie TML4000 Diesel Light Tower; Ferguson 3-ph Dirt Mover; FEL Bale Fork; New & Used Front & Rear Tractor Tires, Various Sizes; Assort Hyd. Rams; Assort. Used Tractor Parts; Assort Water, Air, Hyd Hoses; New Idea Ground Drive Manure Spreader (restored); Admiral Stationary Wire Tie Baler; 6 ft Brundt Press Drill; IHC PTO Manure Spreader; Assort Steel Gates; Hyd. Trailer Pocket Gopher Plow; 40-ft Pipe Frame Tandem Axle Trailer; Assort. New Solar Panels; Parts Washer; Drill Presses; Coates 1010 Tire Changer; Solar Lights; Solar Fencers; Imp. Jacks;
DAY TWO - SUNDAY, OCT. 5
Antiques & Collectibles: Large Assort Old Tools; Assort Bells; Antique Musical Instruments; Military Wheel Chair & Stretcher Combination; Copper Washing Machine; Assort Old Dishes & Bottles; Fire Hose Reel Cart; Grain Crushers; Forges; Anvils; Railroad Tool Car; Rocking Butter Churn; Wall Clocks; Assort. Coal & Wood Stoves; Spinning Wheels; Leather Vise; Crocks; Cream Cans; Assort. Binder Twine; Lamps; Crosscut Saws; Esso & B/A 7-ft Signs; Cast Iron Tubs c/w legs; Assort Phones; Insulators; Oil Tins & Pails; Dough Machine; Butter Churns; Coal Pails; Oil Dispenser; Pot Belly Stoves; CNR Stove; Stationary Engine; Well Pumps; Toledo Scale; Cream Separators; Wool Carder; Tabacco Cutter; 32 Volt Jacobs Wind Charger; MH Feed Cutter; Assort. Antique Washing Machines; JD 8inch Steel Wheel Cultivator; Potato Planter; Large Assort. Horse Hay Mowers; Hay Dump Rakes; Gang Plows; Assort. Oil Seed Drills & Cultivators; Hay Loader; Disc Plows; Freznos;
c/w stand; Rod Weeders;
BY JANA SEMENIUK
Alycia Swan only took over management of the Lamont Farmers’ Market in early Aug., but already had the summer season’s final market on Sept. 10 full of vendors and customers.
Music filled the air, courtesy of Alex McKinnon’s vocal and guitar talents, in addition to food trucks and several unique vendor tables both inside the Lamont arena and spilling into the parking lot.
“It’s the last official
summer market of the year, but starting in Oct.
we have two markets a month except Dec. which is our Christmas market,” she said. “We have
• W4-19-54-11-SW Plan 1026758 Block 1 Lot 2 Lamont County. 75.12 acres in the Lamont County 55 acres ± in cultivation. Price: $330,00
40 vendors here today, so that’s a record breaker for the Lamont Farmers Market. “
Hundreds of people browsed the colourful displays, some offering custom purses for sale, toys, jewelry in addition to different foods and many other interesting items.
Swan said the market follows the 80 20 rule, where 80 percent of the vendors must be a make it, bake it or grow it vendor and the remaining 20 percent can be commercial, selling mass produced products.
Swan said she hopes to create a sense of community around the markets that will help draw people to shop and new vendors to sell their products.
“I’d love to see 30 to 40 vendors in a regular basis. I’m definitely pushing for that,” she said.
“The market isn't just about selling things, it's about the locals coming, having a place to go on Wednesday nights and really visit with their neighbours, interact with the local entrepreneurs, support the local entrepreneurs, and just bring everyone together.”
• W4-19-57-15-NW East Half Lamont County 78.01 acres with 45 acres ± in hay. Nice building site. Price: $280,000 TOWN OF LAMONT
• 5119 48 Ave, 5121 48 Ave, and 5116 47 Ave Lamont AB 3 commercial lots 50' by 100', 65' by 100', and 30' by 100' Price: $200,000 VILLAGE OF ANDREW
• 5317-50 Ave Andrew. An 18,000 sq. ft. manufacturing shop with office and storage space on 2.3 acres of land Price: $1,700,000 ***or inquire about leasing units as small as 6000 sq ft***
BY JANA SEMENIUK
At least one trustee is opposing changes to an EIPS board policy that provides an automatic pay raise to school board trustees every year.
The amount is calculated using information gleaned from the consumer price index and the Alberta average weekly earnings.
Fort Saskatchewan EIPS trustee Ralph Sorochan spoke up at the board’s Sept. 18 meeting and said the move is wrong.
“I would like the board minutes and the board highlights to reflect that I do remain vehemently opposed to the way policy seven has recently been reworded through a motion and vote to annually provide a raise to trustees,” he said.
“No other sector of our organization has this guaranteed salary adjustment, and I continue to believe it is wrong. And so, I hope that the incoming board will have a good look at this
policy and make the necessary adjustments to policy seven to discontinue this practice, as I still continue to disagree with it.”
Last year, according to EIPS’ financial statements, the board paid out a total of just over $400,000 in remuneration (including benefits and allowances) to nine elected trustees.
EIPS Secretary Treasurer Leah Lewis said, at the Sept. 18 board meeting, that the new automatic calculation would increase this amount for the 2025/26 year by approximately $9,000.
According to the financial statements, EIPS Lamont County trustee Colleen Holowaychuk’s remuneration was $50,423 including allowances and benefits for the 2023/24 year.
In a later emailed clarification through EIPS Director of Communication Services Laura McNabb, Lewis said the automatic annual raise
was necessary to attract strong candidates to the board.
“Previously, trustee compensation was reviewed annually at a public board meeting and potential salary adjustments were not undertaken on a consistent basis or with a consistent calculation. This meant each year’s salary adjustment was not objective or predictable, and trustee salaries did not always keep pace with other Boards,” said Lewis.
“It is important to the Board of Trustees to ensure we are attracting strong candidates for the role of trustee, since these individuals guide the strategic direction of the entire organization.”
Lewis said board policies are reviewed annually through the board’s Policy Committee and the calculation would continue to be reviewed and discussed through this process.
Phone: 780-895-2233 | Toll Free: 1-877-895-2233 | LamontCounty.ca | LamontCountyNow.ca | info@LamontCounty.ca
2025 Municipal Election: Candidate Nomination Deadline - Sept. 22 (NOON). Vote in your Division on Oct. 20 (or advance polls) voterlink.ab.ca.
Office Closure (for Stat. Holiday): Lamont County buildings are closed October 13 for Thanksgiving. Lamont County is Hiring: Temporary Casual opportunity for FCSS Youth Facilitators; open positions for a Heavy-Duty Mechanic and Lead Mechanic in Public Works; and an Administrative Assistant for the Office of the CAO and Corporate Services. Learn more and apply at lamontcounty.ca/careers
Reminder to be respectful of farmers’ crops and do not trespass on farmers fields (with recreational equipment such as ATVs, dirt bikes and snowmobiles). As a reminder, it is harvest season! Farming equipment may be travelling on Lamont County roads. Exercise due care and caution to keep our roads safe.
Community events: Bruderheim Seniors Centre - Community Pancake Breakfast – Oct. 4 from 8-10 a.m. ($10 per plate). Bruderheim Seniors Club Cribbage Tournament – Sept. 27 (Register with Janice ASAP) – 780-243-3683. $50 per team of two.
25th Year of the Andrew Garlic Festival (October 11) – Parade, Supper, Dance, Market, Fireworks & other events - andrewagsociety.com
Community Services: Serving Lamont County, Lamont, Bruderheim, Mundare, Andrew & Chipman y gy p
(VISIT: lamontcounty.ca/community-programming or scan the QR code above for full posters, dates and links - contact Community Services for information & registration or call 780-895-2233). Current CALC, FCSS & KFRN and seniors’ activities include:
1. KFRN: Park Play & Parenting: September 23-24 in Bruderheim (TBD), Mundare and Lamont (signup.com/ho/GSFrnWD).
2. CALC: Bon Appetit Bingo for Seniors (in Andrew): Starts Sept. 25 and continues every two weeks. Registration required.
3. FCSS: Youth Centres in Bruderheim (Tuesdays), Chipman (Mondays) and Mundare (Wednesdays) weekly during the school year (excluding holidays and Fall/Winter break). Registration and waiver required.
4. FCSS: True 2 You (Girls Grades 5/6) – Eight-week program from Oct. 16 to Dec. 11 (registration and waiver required).
5. FCSS: Flex for Boys (Grades 5/6) – Eight-week program from Oct. 15 to Dec. 10 (registration and waiver required).
6. FCSS: Parents and Tots – Programs in Lamont (Mondays) & Mundare (Wednesdays). Contact Community Services for more information or to volunteer in Bruderheim; (darlene.o@lamontcounty.ca) for more information (780-895-2233).
7. FCSS: At Home Alone (Ages 10+): Register with dayna.j@lamontcounty.ca for the course in Mundare on Nov. 13.
8. Seniors’ Coffee: 10-11 a.m. (Wed.) in Andrew, & (Thurs.) and in Mundare. Join FCSS for coffee, conversation, snacks, & assistance with senior-related supports. Seniors Coffee is also held in St. Michael (Thurs.) from 10 a.m. to noon.
See Lamont County’s calendar for local community events, public meetings & other important dates lamontcounty.ca/eventscalendar
Nominated by peers, every year since 1996 an Alberta beef farmer or rancher is recognized with the Environmental Stewardship Award (ESA) for their dedication and innovation in how they protect, preserve, and enhance their operations and the environment.
“Presented annually, the ESA goes to a cattle producer or operation that best exemplifies en-
vironmentally sustainable cattle production. Alberta cattle producers nominate their peers for this award, which has become one of the most prestigious in the industry,” the Alberta Beef Producers’ website says.
“A panel of representatives from conservation and agriculture assess the candidates, examining the stewardship goals and activities of the nominees including land management, water quality, wildlife, animal welfare,
and leadership activities in the community related to stewardship.”
This year’s Alberta nominees were John Smith and Laura Laing of Plateau Cattle Co. near Nanton, about an hour southwest of Calgary. They run 450 black angus and black angus cross cows on native grasslands with a focus on balancing feed requirements with environmental stewardship.
“Our goal has always been to produce the best
quality cattle we can, under low-stress, thoughtfulproduction practices, while protecting and improving the land for the next generation,” Smith said.
ESA nominations are accepted from mid-November to March 15 every year, and are made through Alberta Beef Producers.
“All beef cattle farms, feedlots, and ranches in Alberta are eligible for nomination. Operations can be self-nominated by
managers or employees or be nominated by an individual or organization,” the Alberta Beef Producers’ website says. Applications must include a description of the farm or ranch including any historical information and the environment it operates in, what the operation is doing to improve environmental management through energy, water, land, wildlife, etcetera, and their goals for the future.
“The ESA Awarding
Committee will consider the nominees’ philosophy and management plan for range/cropland; riparian areas and water; wintering or feeding sites; manure management; wildlife and wildlife habitat; and animal welfare. They will also consider nominees’ involvement in the community, extension, and environmental stewardship activities, as well as their goals, implementation, and accomplishments,” the website says.
Nathan Reiter Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The provincial government is raising awareness about the dangers of concussions.
Wednesday, Sept. 24, will mark Alberta Concussion Awareness Day while the entire week from Sept. 21-27 will be Concussion Awareness Week.
Over the past three years, the Ministry of Tourism and Sport has invested $75,000 in concussion awareness throughout the province.
During a press conference in Edmonton, Dr. Kathy Belton from the University of Alberta spoke about the dangers of concussions.
“Concussions are a serious public health issue in Alberta and can happen anywhere and to anyone.” Belton explained. “A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury and is caused by any blow to the head, face, neck or body. And it changes the way a per-
son thinks and feels. Approximately 41 Albertans sustained a concussion each day. That’s almost 15,000 concussions annually being diagnosed in Alberta emergency departments. That number does not include concussions being treated in physician’s offices, walk-in clinics or those not recognized or treated”
According to Belton, the top three causes of concussions in the province are falls, motor vehicle collisions and sport activities.
One sport that has seen scrutiny about concussions in recent years is football.
According to a 2024 study from Mass General Brigham, a cohort of 2,000 former NFL players were interviewed and 25% believed they were experiencing Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), which is a brain disease linked to repeated head injuries. It causes the death of nerve cells in the brain and can only
Wishing our local farmers a safe &productive harvest season.
be definitely diagnosed during an autopsy of the brain.
In a study performed by Boston University, CTE was found in the brains of 345 of 376 deceased former NFL players.
Tim Enger, the executive director of Football Alberta says the sport
needs to lead by example in terms of concussion prevention.
“Our sport is particularly popular on television. You can watch football anywhere from June all the way to February. It attracts a large viewership at the professional level. 20 years ago, it was a bit of a cri-
sis and people were paying attention to it. It’s not only important for it to be recognized today, but every day. We need to be particularly vigilant because concussions (are) an invisible injury. It’s something that we’re not 100% sure it’s there. We have to be erring on the side of incredible cau-
tion. The more we bring it up, the more we focus on it, the better we’re going to be in terms of being able to identify, treat, and reduce incidents.”
More information on concussion prevention, management and treatment can be found at sportmedab.ca
George Lee Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Alberta’s rural municipalities appear to be forging an improved dialogue with the provincial government, despite past clashes over how much and when they’re consulted.
Recent interviews with key players suggest that they’re ready to work together and hear each other out on major issues — things like funding levels for roads, bridges and other infrastructure, and a new system to deal with accusations of poor councillor conduct.
Their comments follow Dan Williams becoming minister of municipal affairs in May, when he was shuffled from mental health and addiction.
Williams toured central and southern Alberta during the summer to meet with elected and unelected
leaders from more than 40 municipalities.
Kara Westerlund, president of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta, said she’s glad the minister took to Alberta’s highways and byways. Williams is “incredibly approachable” for her and the association’s member municipalities, she said.
“I hope he does that every summer, and that he comes to break bread in our backyard to truly see who we are, how we live and what we have to contribute to the province and the country,” said Westerlund, a councillor from southwest of Edmonton in Brazeau County.
The RMA has criticized the dome’s recent record on legislation that affects how municipalities operate and govern. Often the association has said it was not properly consulted before bills were introduced and advanced. It also wants the province to tie
up loose ends dangling from new laws.
The legislature is set to resume Oct. 23, after sittings over the last two years approved a raft of changes for municipal governments to contend with.
The province created provisions to order electorate votes on the removal of councillors who cabinet deems unable, unwilling or refusing to perform elected duties. The government can also revoke or revise bylaws that cabinet determines clash with provincial policy, contravene the Constitution, or exceed local scope or authority.
Municipal governments are no longer allowed to use electronic tabulators to count votes in elections, and they can no longer have their own codes of conduct.
Rules surrounding campaign finances and intermunicipal relationships
have changed. So have the duties of key administrative staff, including chief administrative officers.
Not all the changes are controversial. For example, the UCP government has
improved voter accessibility for people with disabilities and people displaced by wildfires.
But it’s also moved towards creating a provincial police service. Although crime and police response times are an ongoing issue along roads less travelled, municipalities worry that the expertise and professionalism of
Leslie Cholowsky Editor
Dean Fahner, who lives in Flagstaff County, says he was raised by his grandparents, and brought up to be an avid hunter and naturalist.
He’s an accomplished hunter and fisherman, and describes himself as very outdoorsy.
He spends as much time as he can outside, and enjoys a wide variety of activities like fishing, hunting, and more and more lately, photographing his surroundings.
Fahner says he’s developed quite an interest in photography over the past few years, especially with the advent of smart phones, with built-in cameras that can rival higher-end DSLRs for quality.
He shared his Hardisty
tornado photos with us earlier in the year, and invited us recently to view some of his other photos.
As a hunter, he finds himself in places and situations that offer a unique opportunity for getting photographs that most people will never come across.
Plus, he says, just living in Flagstaff County offers him the opportunity to shoot great wildlife and landscape photos.
For Fahner, sometimes getting a great shot simply means stepping outside onto his porch in the Flagstaff County countryside. Take the fox who he discovered last winter, all curled up in the snow whenever the sun came out, or the rainbows that fill the wide-open skies out his back door.
For other photos, it’s the pride of the hunt,
whether that’s bagging a good day’s quota of geese, an unusual duck or goose, fishing for catfish (catch and release) on Alberta or Saskatchewan lakes, or even a bear cub in its den. (which, incidentally, came about through a fishing trip).
For Fahner being outdoors, hunting his food, that’s second nature for him. And what he hunts, the family eats. He enjoys
everything from Goose burgers, made by a local butcher shop, to the freezer full of bison that he’s presently enjoying. He’s been shooting since he was a small child.
He’s Métis, and is also active with the Métis Nation of Alberta.
He’s worked with them on Winter Fishing Camps with Métis kids. He’s also working on a new project that will be televised that
Leslie Cholowsky Editor
There have been some changes to the Alberta Hunting regulations for 2025 hunting season.
Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen says “As we head into the 2025-26 hunting season, hunters should carefully review this year’s guide due to a number of regulatory updates.
“Earlier this year, Alberta’s government was proud to introduce amendments to both the Wildlife Act and the Wildlife Regulation, modernizing our approach to wildlife management.
“These changes recognize Alberta’s ongoing committment to conservation and the effective stewardship of the province’s wildlife populations, ensuring hunting is safe and sustainable for generations to come.
“We work hard to ensure hunting rules and regulations reflect current scientific knowledge and align with best practices across Canada.
“Key improvements include streamlining enforcement, reducing
administrative burdens, improving clarity for hunters, and introducing new hunting opportunities.
“When properly managed, hunting in Alberta plays an important role in balancing ecosystem health and raising funds for conservation.”
The definition of an Alberta Resident has changed to be someone whose primary residents has been in Alberta for at least a six-month period
preceding the relevant date, and who is a Canadian citizen, or permanent resident of Canada, or someone who has living in Canada for the 12month period preceding the relevant date, or who is a full time Armed Forces of Canada member.
Hunters must now remove and return any tracking devices found on animals who are legally killed or found dead to the Wildlife Service.
Hunters may now shoot
from a non-powered wheelchair or mobility aid without requiring a ‘Weapons Discharge Permit’ while hunting.
The minimum age for youth to hunt big game is now 10 years old, so a 10year old can hold a big game licence and apply for draws. Minors who
hold a federal minors firearm permit may be exempt from supervision requirements.
A minimum edible portion of big game must be recovered by hunters if fit for consumption on big game.
Residents may access outfitter-allocated big game licences. Anyone who kills a male sheep over one year of age must deliver the complete, unaltered skull with horns and eye intact within 14 days of the close of the season or 30 days after the date the animal was killed.
Continued on Page 22
Alexandra Noad Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A sedative intended for large animals is believed to be the cause of a recent increase of opioid related emergencies, specifically to the Edmonton region.
According to the Canadian Center of Recover Excellence (CoRE) carfentanil can be up to 100,000 times stronger than morphine and 100 times stronger than fentanyl, with microgramlevel amounts causing life-threatening overdoses.
Rob Tanguay, senior medical lead of compassionate intervention at Recovery Alberta, says many drug users become highly tolerant to drugs, including fentanyl, and need stronger substances to get a high.
“The reality is, for a drug user who happens to be highly tolerant shifting to a more potent drug creates a sense of euphoria or high they couldn’t get before and it’s something that people will seek out.”
During the week of Aug. 25, Emergency Health Services (EHS) in Alberta responded to 321 opioidrelated events, which was a 39 per cent increase from the previous week, and Edmonton accounted for 73 per cent of those calls.
While EHS numbers can vary and more calls don’t necessarily indicate more deaths, Recovery Alberta is concerned about carfentanil’s growing presence in opioid-related deaths.
From January to May of
this year, 68 per cent of opioid deaths in Alberta involved carfentanil, which is a 10 per cent increase from last year.
However, in Edmonton the number of deaths involving carfentanil jumped from 17 per cent to 78 per cent.
There have not been any reported deaths form opioid overdoses involving carfentanil in Lethbridge since 2023. However, Tanguay says that doesn’t mean it has not already made it into the drug supply here.
“We’re worried what’s happening in Edmonton is (carfentanil) is replacing fentanyl and that’s extremely scary.
“Just because we don’t see it today in Lethbridge doesn’t mean it’s not there today and won’t be affecting us tomorrow.”
Naloxone can help during an opioid overdose involving carfentanil, but multiple doses may be needed to reverse its effects. Naloxone kits, available at most pharmacies, contain a single dose each. Opioid agonist treatment (OAT), such as Suboxone and methadone remain the standard approach and there are no carfentanil-specific treatments.
Recovery Alberta continues to expand OAT, which helps stabilize people, reduce cravings and prevent overdose.
Tanguay adds that OAT is a major part of the Compassionate Intervention Act, to help those who are suffering addiction to get the help they need.
“We will be doing it
with peers and people with lived experience, we will be doing it with a medical approach, which will include medications, and we will be doing it with as much evidence-informed processes as possible.”
As part of this effort, advanced care paramedics in EHS’s Mobile Integrated Healthcare Program can give first-line OAT medication right in the community. Communities with Mobile Integrated Healthcare include Leth-
bridge, Red Deer, Medicine Hat, Edmonton, Camrose, Peace River and Calgary.
An emergency response team is currently in place to monitor clients in and around Hope Mission’s Herb Jamieson Centre in Edmonton. The team of primary care paramedics, nurses and health care aides are responding to mental health and addiction crises including overdoses.
Tanguay encourages everyone to carry Nalox-
one kits and to have compassion toward the vulnerable population.
“People don’t choose to live homeless, people don’t choose to live in
poverty, people don’t choose to live suffering with addiction, but we as a society have chosen to allow it and that has to stop.”
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who wouldn’t normally have an opportunity to hunt. The Métis Nation recently purchased some land near Tofield, and Fahner has been in to scout it out. The plan is to spend a day with a group of kids, he says, “Where we show them everything about whole hunting.” From the hunt, to the kill, and finally, return to the Fahner’s where his wife Joan will prepare wild meat for dinner.
Fahner says he’s excited about working with Métis youth, and teaching those who’ve never had a chance, “showing them about whole hunting practices.”
He’s also gone into local schools where he’s talked to students about hunting, trapping, fishing, and how nature is changing to adapt to the environments.
He also works with the Métis Nation on bird counts, banding projects, including a new one building Motus towers in Alberta, similar to those in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, which are used to track banded birds, recording where and when they go by to determine migratory routes, stopover sites.
Other conservation work he does includes water testing and fish sampling, pollinator studies, and even berry
picking Fahner has said that “Being Métis comes with a responsiblity toward protecting our lands, waters, and wildlife, which we’ve been working hard to do for generations.”
Fahner used to trap and hunt coyotes, but since the bottom dropped out of that market, with prices dropping from $135 to just $15 per animal, it’s no longer worth his time.
He still does some trapping, and likes to accompany a friend who hunts cougar.
Fahner usually isn’t too far from his two labs, Maggie and Sadie, and they feature often in his photos.
Fahner retired recently, and he is actively looking forward to doing photography, which he’s become more and more interested in over the past few years.
The next thing on his wish list is to purchase an actual digital camera, so he’s not so reliant on his phone, and not limited to its zoom capabilities, then he plans to start exploring nature photography even more.
He has no plans to slow down, planning to be more involved in conservation and environmental studies.
Vanessa Poitras Staff Reporter
You can get creative this fall with some fun crafts that can be used for Thanksgiving, holiday cards, or simply as a hands on, sensory experience for any age.
Found online, the ideas pictured are unique and all materials needed are found in nature. Fallen leaves are the base of these crafts.
The possibilities are only limited to your imagination. Test your skill and imagination by creating any animal you can think of. Examples include birds, squirrels, dinosaurs, caterpillars, and nature scenes.
By using the leaves in different ways, ripping or cutting into shapes
needed, almost anything can be crafted from leaves, branches, and needles. This activity is a great way to strengthen fine motor skills as well as relax or unwind.
Being creative can improve mood, concentration, and dexterity, while offering a mindful way to de-stress.
"The hands-on nature of crafting involves movement, dexterity, and coordination, which can contribute to improved physical well-being," the Diversitech Global website says, “from reducing stress and boosting selfesteem, to improving cognitive abilities and promoting an active lifestyle.”
At any age, remember to create and have fun.
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the RCMP will be lost if the national service is pushed aside.
Funding levels and formulas for infrastructure continue to be inadequate for expansion and maintenance, the RMA says. The problem goes back two or three decades, Westerlund said.
The RMA — which represents 69 municipal jurisdictions that blanket more than 85 per cent of the province’s landmass — estimates that an infrastructure deficit affecting its member municipalities has reached $17.25 billion. Given current funding trends, the deficit will grow to more than $40 billion by 2028, the association predicts.
The roads and bridges portion alone of today’s deficit is about $14 billion, the RMA has calculated.
Devin Dreeshen, the minister of transportation and
economic corridors, said he’s “all ears” if municipalities have innovative ideas to fund the maintenance and expansion of roads, bridges, and water and wastewater infrastructure.
The government “loves working with RMA and all the rural municipalities across the province, because they truly are what makes Alberta great,” said Dreeshen, the member for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake.
“To make sure we have thriving rural communities is important,” he said, noting that the resource sector operates in the countryside.
“We obviously want to help as much as we can.”
That desire is behind $118 million in grants in the current budget to municipalities for water and wastewater projects, he said, and some of the grant approvals address the added pressure of serving the resource industry.
“But demand is always greater than the dollars that we have available,” Dreeshen stressed.
Williams, the member for Peace River, said relation-
ships and attitudes are in the right place. The RMA’s president has “an open mind, looking to try to find solutions while looking after the best interests of all of her members,” the municipal affairs minister said.
“If you care about the ratepayers across every single county in the province, and I care about all the citizens of the province, then we're fighting for the same end. Starting from that position puts us to great advantage. No one's looking to dunk or score points in this relationship. We're looking to find productive solutions.”
Williams continued: “Will there be differences? Of course... I have an ultimate responsibility to make sure municipalities are run well. That's a different role than the RMA has as an advocacy body for the wideranging views of many, many municipalities.”
Rural municipalities are “on the ground and on the frontlines,” he said, meaning they can provide feedback he and the government need.
Seeking more money at every turn, however, won’t work. That’s especially true given the deficit situation the province is in and the desire to be “as fiscally prudent as we can be,” Williams cautioned.
“But if it’s all about finding common ground and finding innovative solutions and making sure that we prioritize the right things at the right time for municipalities, then that’s where we can find a huge amount of forward movement.”
Westerlund concurred that a rural perspective is
important. “Sometimes it's easy to make decisions and have theories and suggestions in downtown Edmonton, sitting in the legislature,” she said.
Provincial lawmakers need to “take a walk in our shoes to see what's actually happening and truly understand the direction that we're going in,” she said. “If what you're trying to fix is not broken, why are we fixing it?”
Just after his rural tour, Williams said he was impressed with the entrepreneurial spirit and wealth of
innovation demonstrated by community leaders. Westerlund said she’s “not surprised” that Williams hears about entrepreneurialism and “the passion and the drive of rural Alberta.”
She continued: “I eat and breathe it every day, and I couldn't be more proud of the people we have living on the rural landscape. They are resilient a bunch, and when push comes to shove, for every problem and every issue that we have, we have 10 or 15 solutions.”
Kaiden Brayshaw Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Samir El Jamal, a recent Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Technology grad at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, was hired by Lufthansa Technik Canada after
completing his program. For future students like El Jamal, the pipeline from his alma mater to his current employer will be streamlined, something El Jamal is admittedly jealous of. With its first intake this spring, the Southern Alberta Institute of Technol-
ogy’s (SAIT) new Gas Turbine Technician Certificate will help train the next generation of aviation mechanics and potentially guarantee them job placement.
The certificate will include support from Lufthansa Technik Canada’s (LTCA) Fuel
the Future initiative and will prepare graduates with the technical skills and regulatory awareness needed to meet increasing demand for gas turbine expertise, according to a SAIT-issued press release.
SAIT will be Alberta’s first post-secondary
school to offer a program of this kind and will be “uniquely positioned to meet the needs of a growing aviation sector across Calgary,” the release reads.
At least 10 students from every 32 student cohort will be offered a sponsorship opportunity,
through the Fuel the Future initiative. LTCA will provide chosen students with financial support to cover tuition costs and tools, a salary during their studies and guaranteed job placement with LTCA following completion of the program.
Continued on Page 18
“It’s a great opportunity for them,” El Jamal said of the sponsorship.
“The program that SAIT has set up for them, as well as the help that (LTCA) is going to be providing to students, is going to create opportunities for everybody.”
Max Schramm, President and CEO of LTCA, said that the inspiration for the initiative came from diversity and equity.
“We noticed when we went through the school that there was one demographic that was missing, which was lower income classes, visible minorities quite often. We asked, ‘why is that?’ and the answer was the cost, or the perceived cost, of such programs, are becoming such an entry barrier for students that they don’t feel comfortable applying for these positions,” he said.
“We as an industry have an obligation to the community to make this industry more accessible and to allow people from lower income classes, all walks of life and visible minorities, to have a chance at actually becoming a mechanic without having to worry.”
Schramm said that sponsorship recipients will apply directly through LTCA’s website, and go through a thorough selection process.
“We’ll be putting these positions out at the beginning of October,” he said.
Above the minimum 10 recipients in each cohort, Schramm said that if more applicants show high-level talent, the
company will sponsor accordingly.
Schramm said that LTCA’s investment is complementary to other recent aviation-based provincial projects.
“WestJet, obviously, is at the center of the growth that you’ve seen in Alberta. Last week’s announcement, which
was absolutely phenomenal with CAE to create a training centre here in Alberta, is just another testament of the willingness of the sector to grow here in Calgary and in Alberta,” he said.
Dr. David Ross, President and CEO of SAIT, said that the LTCA partnership adds to the re-
cent opening of the Imperial Energy Innovation Centre on modernising programs and integrating students with industry.
“We’ve been very lucky, the partnerships that we’ve been able to build over the recent times, I think are outstanding,” he said.
“We’re seeing international companies from around the world understand us, come to us and they realize the quality of the graduates, in terms of that hands-on experience, we want our graduates to be ready
day one, not have to go to an organization and be retrained redeveloped, but they’re ready to start their career and add value to those organizations, and this program will be part of that.”
Kari Janzen Staff Reporter
From 2011 to 2020, 624 Canadians were killed by agriculture-related injuries, averaging 62 deaths per year, according to Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting. Fifty-four per cent of fatalities were related to machinery, 58 per cent of those who were killed were farm owner/operators, and 11 per cent were their children.
“People are the most important resources on any farm. As a farm owner, you want to see every employee, including family members, go home safely at the end of the day,” FarmSafe Alberta’s Safety Planning Guide for Farms and Ranches says.
Hazard identification is one of the first steps in preventing injuries on the farm.
“Hazardous situations may be created by animals, machines, or processes, chemical and biological materials, environmental conditions, and personal lifestyles. A hazard is a situation, condition or behaviour that has the potential to cause injury or loss,” the guide says.
Once a hazard has been identified, the next step is to apply
control measures to eliminate or reduce the risk of harm. The FarmSafe guide recommends using the hierarchy of controls which is listed in order of effectiveness: Eliminate, Substitute, Engineered Controls, Administrative Controls, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
“For instance, an engineered control is deemed to be more effective at reducing risk than an administrative control. Furthermore, an administrative control tends to be more effective than personal protective equipment. PPE should always be considered as the last line of defense for the worker should the hazard occur. As you consider the hierarchy of controls, determine if the hazard could be completely eliminated or if any substitutions could take place,” the guide says.
Engineered controls include guards, fences, ventilation systems, barricades, and automatic shutoff devices.
“An engineered control places a structure, barrier, design, or modification between the worker and the hazard and can reliably minimize the hazard and reduce the source of the exposure,” the guide says.
An example of an administrative control measure is pre-
ventative maintenance.
“To proactively avoid hazards and lost productivity caused by the breakdown of equipment, tools, and machinery, you should develop a preventative maintenance policy and equipment maintenance schedule.
Equipment breakdowns can cause injuries, property damage and costly production delays, all of which can be reduced by the use of a preventative maintenance system. Base the standards for the maintenance program on the manufacturer’s recommendations, industry standards, past incidents, and data from hazard
assessments,” the guide says.
As mentioned, PPE is the last on the hierarchy of controls, and is recommended to be used in addition to the other controls.
“PPE should be your last resort, and should always be used in combination with other control methods. PPE is often the easiest control to apply, but it is usually the least effective,” the guide says.
During Canadian Agricultural Safety Week in March earlier this year, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation RJ Sigurdson encouraged farmers to keep operations safe, sus-
tainable, and successful.
“Effective and proactive health and safety measures are an integral part of thriving farming operations. As farmers and ranchers prepare for the upcoming season, it’s important to remain diligent and focused on safety. I encourage you to take the time to renew your commitment to safety, because even one injury is too many. Employers, workers, and the government all have a role to play in agricultural workplace safety. Let’s work together to make sure Alberta farmers and ranchers stay safe,” he said.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO ADVERTISE WITH AND SUPPORT LOCAL CANADIAN MEDIA INSTEAD OF AMERICAN SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES?
WHEN YOU DITCH INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED CANADIAN MEDIA, CONSIDER THE IMPACT IT’S HAVING ON ALL OF US
The skins of black bears and cougars may now be abandoned and wasted only if the edible portions of the meat of those animals are recovered.
If the skins are abandoned, the meat must be tagged like other big game animals such as deer, elk, or moose.
Antlered mule deer Landowner Licences will be limited to 25 per cent of the total resident permits in each WMU and provided on a first-come, first-served basis.
The mandatory submission of white-tailed and mule deer heads for CWD surveillance has been expanded for 2025.
Dogs may now be used to hunt black bears in September and October in certain WMU’s.
Double-crested Cormorants are considered a game bird and huntable during duck seasons. Their flesh may be abandoned or wasted but
dead birds must be recovered from the field and properly disposed of.
Hunters may now shoot at migratory birds from an unanchored, powered boat; however, the boat cannot be moving due to the momentum imparted by a
motor (or sail).
Turkey can now be hunted with any weapon that is not prohibited for hunting upland game birds.
Anyone guiding a resident hunter for game bird hunting for gain or reward must be a regis-
tered guide and outfitter or working for a registered outfitter. That outfitter must be hunting under a waterfowl privilege in the fall season but doesn’t need a waterfowl privilege when hunting with resident clients in the spring
white goose season.
The minimum edible portions of game birds that must be recovered by hunters, if fit for consumption, are the breasts.
Youth under 10 are exempt from the need for a provincial game bird licence while hunting game birds; however, they must be with a licenced adult and any birds they harvest will be considered part of the adult’s limit.
The minimum draw weight for bows has been reduced to 35 ounds to draw an arrow 28 inches to its head.
It is now legal to use a leashed tracking dog to help recover shot at big game that is presumed dead or wounded. The
dog may only be brought into the area after the shot, and must remain leashed at all times.
Muskrats and doublecrested cormorants can now be hunted by an owner or occupant, or a resident authorized in writing by the owner or occupant, without a licence on private land.
Minors who possess a federal minors firearm permit and who are using that firearm in accordance with their permit’s conditions may be exempt from being supervised while using a firearm for hunting.
Landowner permission should be sought by all hunters before going on any privately owned land.
