Current News Releases

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.

Despite the COVID-19 public health crisis, Lacombe County has continued to hold in-person Council meetings and has allowed the public to attend Council meetings. Under the current provincial guidelines, a maximum of 15 people are allowed to participate in Council meetings, including Council and staff, in addition to physical distancing requirements. To allow for more accessible public involvement and attendance, Council recently voted in favour of live streaming all Council meetings and associated public hearings through Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Physical distancing restrictions won’t be lifted anytime soon, which limits the number of people allowed in Council Chambers. We know there will be meeting topics or public hearings that the public will want to have a voice in,” said Reeve Paula Law. “We have tried a few options, like having a spill-out space in our lobby for times when we might be over-capacity. However, Council felt that a safer solution is to open up Council meetings and public hearings through Zoom video conferencing.”

Until COVID-19 restrictions have lifted, Zoom technology will allow for the public to comment on matters that concern them, if permitted by the Chair.

With Stage 2 of the COVID-19 relaunch plan approaching and with the ability to operate and maintain this space safely, Lacombe County will be reopening Sandy Point Beach on June 5, 2020. Included in the reopening are the washrooms, playground, and parking lot, in addition to the boat launch, which was never closed to the public.

“To safely reopen Sandy Point Beach and its facilities, we needed to ensure our staff were trained and had access to the proper personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies,” said Drayton Bussiere, Director of Emergency Management for Lacombe County. “The safety of our staff and the public will continue to be front of mind as we move forward with our relaunch plan. We ask the public to ensure they follow all public health orders laid out by the province.”

CP Rail has notified Lacombe County that they are closing The Great Trail (formerly called the TransCanada Trail), north of Range Road 27-1 in order to conduct repairs.

A portion of the trail will be closed June 6-7, 2020. Signage warning of the closure will be posted in advance near the railroad/trail crossing.

As of Friday, May 29, 2020, Lacombe County is reopening its playgrounds and public washroom facilities at County recreational areas. Lacombe County’s trails and natural parks remain open. Lacombe County will be sanitizing washrooms based on usage, but advise that you use these facilities at your own risk.

All County public washrooms are equipped with alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Please use this before and after you use the washrooms.

“We thank all residents for following the direction of the Government of Alberta, and encourage users of these recreational spaces to continue to follow the guidelines when enjoying these spaces,” said Drayton Bussiere, Director of Emergency Management for Lacombe County.

Residents are advised that C&E Trail will be closed from Aab Street (72 Avenue) to Highway 2A from Thursday, May 28 to Thursday, June 4 for road repairs (see map).
Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes. Please obey posted traffic signs and flag persons. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this construction period.

If you want to know what's happening in Lacombe County, read the May 2020 County News digitally at https://bit.ly/2ZrNNuf!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Agricultural Plastics Recycling program. Lacombe County has closed this program for the season. We will start collecting ag plastics again in October 2020.

You can learn more about the program at: https://www.lacombecounty.com/index.php/agricultural-plastics-recycling-program.

Since mid-March, Lacombe County’s Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC) team has been carefully monitoring the COVID-19 situation. Lacombe County is pleased to announce its Municipal COVID-19 Relaunch Plan, intended to guide our “return to normal” for facilities, amenities and service levels.

“The Lacombe County ECC evaluated the changing situation of COVID-19, and responded in a manner that best protected staff and ratepayers,” said Lacombe County Reeve, Paula Law. “We are excited to move forward, regardless of the pace, and return back to a new normal in our community.”

The following measures are now in place at Lacombe County (click here to see the full relaunch plan):

• Once physical barriers are installed in the reception areas, the Lacombe County administration office and shop can fully reopen to the public.
  • At that time, masks will be available at public entry points into the administration office and shop and mask use will be strongly recommended in spaces used by the public.
• Lacombe County’s parks and trails remain open; however, all public washrooms facilities, all playgrounds, and the Sandy Point Beach remain closed.
• Public health requirements on occupancy, physical distancing, hygiene, etc. will continue to be strictly adhered to.

At its May 14, 2020 meeting, Council approved the Lacombe County 2020 operating and capital budgets and tax rate bylaw. With immense uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the crash in world oil prices, Lacombe County Council voted in favour of a 0% increase in municipal tax rates for all property classes.

“These are unprecedented times that we are living in, and Council did not want to increase taxes when many of our ratepayers are unsure about the future,” said Lacombe County Reeve Paula Law. “Maintaining the services our ratepayers expect is crucial, and Lacombe County continues to be focused on both reduced spending and smarter spending. We are fortunate to have reserves in place, to help offset any increases that may have been needed for the 2020 budget year to ensure that no changes in service levels are felt.”

PUBLIC NOTICE | Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, Sandy Point Beach will not be open over the May long weekend to the public and will remain closed during Stage 1 of the provincial relaunch. This includes the beach area, beach parking lot, public washroom facility, and playground.

All other Lacombe County parks and trails are open for your enjoyment, BUT public washrooms and playgrounds remain closed at this time. We will advise once these facilities are reopened again. Thank you for adhering to the public health measures and for doing your part to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Reeve Paula Law reminds us all to do our part to keep everyone healthy through every stage of Alberta’s relaunch, by following all public health guidelines. Thanks to our collective efforts, we are helping to slow the spread of COVID-19.

For up-to-date information on COVID-19, including the Alberta Relaunch Strategy, visit alberta.ca/COVID19

In an effort to help preserve the environment in our operating area, Vesta Energy Ltd. will be once again conducting a Spring Roadside Cleanup along the Public Roads in proximity to our activities and well sites.

Between the hours of 7:00 am and 5:00 pm the days of May 10th to May 16th please be aware our employees will be seen scouring the roadsides and ditches in Lacombe County and Red Deer County.

Please drive with caution around these crews.

If you choose to wear a mask to protect others, it is very important that it must be worn and taken on/off properly as the outside can become contaminated. Watch Lacombe County's Director of Emergency Management demonstrate how to properly wear a mask.

Please note: only one mask was harmed in the production of this video!

For more guidance on steps you can take to protect yourself and others during COVID-19, visit alberta.ca/COVID19 

Lacombe County is now accepting credit card payments using OptionPay - a third party software provider. For a fee, OptionPay provides residents with another convenient method of payment for water bills, taxes, development fees, dust control and more. OptionPay uses a tiered fee schedule to collect a fee on each transaction.

Please contact the Lacombe County for instructions at 403-782-6601 or visit the OptionPay  Online Payment Portal page at https://www.lacombecounty.com/index.php/optionpay.

Drayton Bussiere, Director of Emergency Management for Lacombe County, answers some Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 and our role in this public health crisis. 

(Please note: these responses are accurate as of April 29, 2020, but could change as the situation evolves. Visit www.alberta.ca/COVID19 for up-to-date information in Alberta).