Current News Releases

Lacombe County Council has adopted the County’s 2021 interim operating and capital budgets. This budget supports the maintenance of existing service levels while managing the County’s spending in a responsible manner that reflects the current economic situation and follows the priorities set out in the County’s Strategic Plan, long-range road construction plan, and capital equipment replacement plan.

“Over the last few years, Lacombe County has faced many unique challenges facing our economy, including a significant loss in revenue from oil and gas well taxes and now the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Tim Timmons, County Manager. “On November 27, Council voted to approve an interim budget for 2021 that recognizes the challenges and uncertainty in our province.”

Please note the following properties will be auctioned off on November 30, 2020, at 1:30 p.m. at the Lacombe County Administration Building:

S1/2 of Lots 12 & 13, Block 57, Plan 7159AI

All other properties previously advertised have had the outstanding arrears paid and have been removed from the sale.

**Lacombe County requires all visitors to wear a face-covering in our building. Please do not enter our building if you are feeling unwell or if you have been in close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case.

Michael Minchin
Corporate Services Director
Lacombe County

The Government of Alberta recently announced additional public health measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 throughout the province.

As of November 26, Lacombe County has 31 cases of COVID-19 in the region – putting the County in an ‘Enhanced Watch’ status. This status, in addition to the additional measures announced yesterday, means the following restrictions are in place for Lacombe County:

• No indoor social gatherings in any setting
• Outdoor gatherings have a maximum of 10 people
• Weddings and funerals services must be limited to 10 guests, and no wedding receptions are permitted
• No festivals or events are permitted
• Grades 7 to 12 students will be sent home for at-home learning from November 30 to January 11
• Kindergarten to Grade 6 students will be in school until their break (Starting December 18) and then have at-home learning until January 11
• Working from home should be implemented whenever possible
• Places of worship must limit their regular attendance to one-third capacity with mandatory masking
• There will be restricted access to some businesses starting November 27

A more detailed list of these measures can be found at https://www.alberta.ca/enhanced-public-health-measures.aspx. Residents who wish to report a violation of these measures can submit a complaint to AHS public health inspectors at 1-833-415-9179.

Lacombe County moved to Enhanced Status on the Provincial Relaunch Status Map. The Province of Alberta has implemented a number of voluntary and mandated public health measures for our community to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

The Lacombe County Enhanced Status applies to the Town of Blackfalds, Town of Bentley, Town of Eckville, Village of Alix, Village of Clive, as well as ALL hamlets and summer villages within our municipal boundaries and the remainder of Lacombe County.

• Hamlets include: Mirror, Haynes, Joffre, Tees, Morningside, Rosedale, Hespero
• Summer Villages include: Gull Lake, Sunbreaker Cove, Birchcliff, Half Moon Bay

Lacombe County currently has 11 active cases, for a case rate of 50.5 per 100,000 people.

We are actively monitoring the situation and continue to monitor Alberta Health Services (AHS) instructions. The health, safety and well-being of County residents, businesses and employees and maintaining essential services for the public are the County’s top priorities.

Lacombe County is under the following Public Health Measures as directed by AHS:

PLEASE NOTE: In accordance with section of 422 of the Municipal Government Act, the Tax Sale scheduled for Friday November 13, 2020 has been rescheduled to Monday, November 30^th, 2020 at 1:30 pm at the Lacombe County Administration Building.

All other terms and conditions for the sale previously announced remain unchanged.  

The Lacombe County office and public works shop will be closed Wednesday, November 11 in remembrance of all those who have served and continue to serve our Country.

A Joint Public Hearing has been rescheduled for the Sylvan Lake Intermunicipal Development Plan on November 21, 2020, following a postponement because of COVID-19. The Joint Public Hearing is the final opportunity for members of the public to share their perspective on the plan with all eight Councils.

Joint Public Hearing Date: Saturday, November 21, 2020 starting at 1:30pm.  The Joint Public Hearing will be hosted online and in-person to manage COVID-19 requirements.

Registration for in-person participation is required. 

Online Participation information can be found here.

Written comments must be received by one of the Municipal Partners by November 20, 2020. For details on how to register, participate or provide written comments, please visit: https://www.sylvanlakeidp.com/engagement.

COVID-19 Precautions: For those attending in-person, masking is recommended if you cannot maintain physical distancing.  If you are displaying symptoms, join us online or submit written comments.

Lacombe County is conducting a County-wide recruitment campaign for paid-on-call firefighters to serve in departments throughout Lacombe County.

“Departments within Lacombe County recruit throughout the year, as needed,” explained Drayton Bussiere, Lacombe County Fire Chief. “We are looking for some new faces to join our dedicated fire teams who provide this crucial first response service for our communities.”

Lacombe County Fire Services consists of jointly managed fire departments and is recruiting firefighters in Alix, Bentley, Clive, and Eckville. There are approximately 100 firefighters in these fire departments. Bussiere says, “ideally, we would like that number to be around 125 members.”

Lacombe County Fire Service reminds residents that although fire permits are not required from November 1 to February 28, there are still expectations for controlled burns outside the fire season boundaries.

“Any burning must be done in a safe and controlled manner. We all must practice responsible burning all year long, even if fire permits aren’t required,” said Drayton Bussiere, Lacombe County Fire Chief. “Lacombe County reserves the right to invoice residents for fire department responses to fires that are not compliant to these regulations.”

After launching the Agricultural Plastics Recycling Program in 2018, Lacombe County is ready to pick up plastics for another season from residents in Lacombe County, Red Deer County, and Ponoka County to ensure the proper recycling of plastic grain bags.

During the October 20, 2020 Organizational Meeting, Lacombe County Council re-elected Division 4 Councillor Paula Law as Reeve for an eighth one-year term. Councillor Law assumed the Reeve’s Chair after taking the Oath of Office from County Manager Tim Timmons and expressed thanks to the Council members for their continuing support. 

“For 10 years, I have had the honour and privilege to sit on County Council, and I look forward to serving an eighth term as Reeve of Lacombe County,” said Reeve Law. “Together, with my fellow councillors, we will continue to speak up for our residents and for Central Alberta on regional, provincial and federal issues – especially at this time, when there are a number of issues that could have a direct and significant impact on them.”

The City of Lacombe and Lacombe County are pleased with the Government of Alberta’s announcement to invest in the development of the BioRefinex Lacombe Biorefinery. This $10 million investment will help create sustainable jobs, protect the environment, and foster a 21st-century agritech hub in Lacombe and Lacombe County, which will draw in ingenuity and investment for years to come.

With the help of a $36,500 grant from Dow, the Lacombe Regional Waste Services Commission (LRWSC) is excited to announce a mattress recycling program. Launching October 19, 2020, the program will divert mattresses from local landfills, allowing them to be recycled.

“Mattresses take up valuable landfill space because they aren’t able to be compacted and often get tangled up in landfill equipment,” explained Jay Hohn, LRWSC Commission Manager. “Recycling the mattresses is a great diversionary tactic employed by the commission, and we are very appreciative of Dow Canada to fund the one-year pilot project to get us started fully.”

Anyone wishing to comment on the proposed amendments will have an opportunity to do so at a public hearing which has been arranged for:

Date:               October 22, 2020
Time:              9:00 a.m.
Place:             Lacombe County Council Chambers
                        located 2½ miles west of Highway 2 at the intersection of Spruceville Road and Highway 12

Lacombe County Council has given first reading to Bylaw No. 1330/20 for the purpose of closing to public travel and disposing of a portion of a public highway in accordance with Section 22 of the Municipal Government Act, Being Chapter M26.1 of the revised statutes of the Alberta 2000 and amendments thereto:

Over the next four weeks (between October 2 and October 31), CP Rail will be completing improvements on numerous railway crossings within Lacombe County.

Work will begin on October 2 at Range Road 26-0 (east of Lacombe, just north of Highway 12) and will move east along the rail line until it hits Highway 21. This work continues until October 31 and will impact 19 intersections on that line (see the map for specific details).

Please drive with caution in these areas, and ensure you watch for and obey posted signage.

It’s harvest season in Lacombe County, and work is in full swing. Lacombe County reminds those travelling on local roads keep safety at the forefront during fall harvest operations, whether you’re driving a van, combine or semi-truck.

Road Safety

Road safety is a big concern during harvest season. After a long break due to the COVID-19 health crisis, roads will be busy with harvest operations coinciding with increased numbers of busses and commuters who are returning to regular schedules with the start of the school year. Since starting this campaign in 2014, we have heard stories from both producers and drivers alike of unsafe driving during harvest season.

REMINDER  | As of July 1, 2020, all LRWSC Transfer Sites will require residents who are accessing the facilities, to present a "proof of residency" to our attendants by showing a utility bill, Lacombe County property tax notice, or a driver's license with a physical/mailing address. The following mailing addresses are NOT acceptable as proof of residency:

• Blackfalds PO Box # (require physical address)
• Eckville PO Box # (require physical address)
• Alix PO Box # (require physical address)
• RR#3 Lacombe (require physical address)
• RR#1, 3, & 4 Eckville (require physical address)

Photographs of utility bills/tax notices on a smart phone will be accepted, provided that the attendant can read the information while maintaining social distancing (photos of Blue Sign addresses are not accepted). More details can be found at www.lrwsc.ca. 

Lacombe County Council is opposed to a Province of Alberta proposal to change how oil and gas wells, pipelines and associated machinery and equipment are assessed for property tax purposes. If approved, the changes would significantly impact residents and businesses in Lacombe County, either by significantly higher municipal taxes, reductions in services, or a combination of both.

“There is no doubt that the last few years resulted in some challenging budgets, and we didn’t expect that to change anytime soon,” said Reeve Paula Law. “However, municipalities have been hit again and again, when combined with increased policing costs, reduced grant funding, and COVID-19 related property tax deferrals. We have been able to shoulder much of that burden for our ratepayers and businesses, but if these assessment model changes go through, it will have huge impacts that we won’t be able to absorb through our reserves.”

Lacombe Regional Waste Services Commission (LRWSC) will complete significant maintenance at its various transfer sites during the month of August and September. The scope of these repairs requires that they shut down the various sites for a period of up to two weeks to complete the work.  In order to accommodate the public during these times, an alternate opening schedule will be available, as listed below. 

Please go to the following alternate designated site during these times.  Thank you for your patience and understanding while we complete these significant repairs.

Please note: the Lacombe County office is fully open to the public, Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Please use alternate contact methods (calling, emailing, social media) or complete payments online if you are feeling unwell.

You can learn more at https://www.lacombecounty.com/index.php/news-releases/2020/1904-covid-19-general-information

Find out what's happening in Lacombe County by reading the July 2020 County News! You can read it online or pick a copy up at the Lacombe County Office.

The COVID-19 public health crisis is not over. All Albertans should now be acutely aware of their role in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

We’ve received complaints about overcrowding at Sandy Point beach and the boat launches in the County, specifically at the Sunbreaker Cove boat launch on Sylvan Lake and the Sandy Point boat launch on Gull Lake. We ask that if a beach or other area is too crowded to ensure physical distancing, please visit another location or come back another day.

Stay away from local beaches, boat launches and other public spaces if you are unable or unwilling to adhere the direction of Alberta Health to:

• maintain a physical distance of 2 metres from people outside of a family cohort,
• stay home if feeling ill,
• practice good hygiene.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Municipal property tax notices were recently mailed out to Lacombe County ratepayers and should be appearing in mailboxes in the coming week. If you do not receive your 2020 tax notice by mid-July, please contact Lacombe County’s Assessment Department at 403-782-6601.

“We encourage ratepayers to be proactive and make sure their tax notice was received by Lacombe County,” said Michael Minchin, Director of Corporate Services. “This year’s property tax payment deadline has been extended to September 30, 2020 to better align with the education requisition deadline for non-residential properties.”

With Canada Day celebrations approaching, Lacombe County reminds all residents that a fireworks permit is required if you wish to sell, purchase or set off fireworks within Lacombe County.

“Canada Day is a popular occasion to set off fireworks, but regardless of the time of the year, a permit is required within Lacombe County if you plan on shooting off fireworks,” says Drayton Bussiere Lacombe County Fire Chief. “Lacombe County regulates the use of fireworks through a permitting system. All you have to do is fill out and submit a Fireworks Permit form.”

Lacombe County office and public works building will fully reopen to the public on Monday, June 22, 2020, after the County reduced access to its buildings in mid-March as a response to the COVID-19 public health crisis.

“While COVID-19 continues to be a concern for us, we are excited to reopen our doors fully to the public in a manner that is safe for both staff and visitors to our offices,” said Tim Timmons, County Manager for Lacombe County. “We ask that everyone follows the safety measures put in place so that our staff are protected and are able to continue providing top-notch service.”

There will be several changes for visitors should be aware of:

1. Hand sanitizing stations are available upon entering our office to limit the spread of germs.
2. Physical distancing (2-metres/6 feet) must be adhered to.
3. Visitors attending meetings with staff are required to fill out a questionnaire for contact-tracing purposes.
4. Customers will be asked for their name and phone number for contact tracing purposes.
5. Protective barriers have been installed and will remain in place until the COVID-19 public health crisis has been resolved.
6. Masks will be provided for anyone who wishes to use them.