Organization: Town of Pincher Creek

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Residents seeking time with town council face new rules

Written on October 1, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government.

Anyone hoping to make their case to Pincher Creek town council now gets five more minutes to do it, but they’ll need to do more of the work ahead of time.

Council adopted a rewritten procedural bylaw Sept. 28 that gives delegations 20 minutes instead of 15. It also requires written requests 10 days in advance, any slides by the same deadline, and a clear statement of what the delegation wants from council, such as funding or a letter of support.

Bylaw 1596-26 also drops three sections on petitions and changes how council chooses its deputy mayor. It passed second and third readings with one clerical fix and no other changes since first reading on Sept. 14.

The new bylaw repeals and replaces Bylaw 1596-24 in its entirety, following a months-long review by administration that found several outdated or incorrect clauses. The work is part of a broader review of town policies and procedures.

Delegations

The town’s chief administrative officer now sets the format for delegation requests, and submitting one doesn’t guarantee a spot at the next meeting. A person or group that has presented can’t return on the same subject for three months unless council waives the rule by special resolution.

CAO Konrad Dunbar said the goal is to give administration enough information to prepare for requests before a meeting, rather than fielding requests council has no information about.

“It’s not great for us when a delegation comes in and says, ‘We want this,’ and I don’t know about it,” he said.

The change can allow some requests to be dealt with at the same meeting rather than returning to a future agenda, he said.

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Coun. Valerie Wynder questioned whether allowing the CAO to prescribe the format for delegation requests could unintentionally create barriers.

“I’m just wondering if limiting it to a specific online form or something might exclude some members of our community from being able to navigate that and have a delegation, because they maybe don’t have the skills to submit online,” she said.

She added that future administrations could interpret the provision differently and make it harder for some residents to bring matters before council.

Dunbar said the wording is intended to give the town flexibility as it moves toward more online and digital processes. The report to council says requests could come by form, online submission or email, as technology allows.

Coun. Mark Barber said staff would likely help any resident who struggled to submit a request in the required format.

The discussion also focused on whether council should make decisions immediately after hearing from a delegation.

Coun. Sahra Nodge said she supports receiving information in advance but does not want every request decided on the same night.

“Sometimes, there’s value in waiting two weeks to discuss something, because we can get caught up in the enthusiasm of a presenter and be very gung-ho and keen in the moment. And I’ve found that the reflection time from when someone presents something and then you’re deciding a couple weeks later is a valuable time to just kind of think about it,” she said.

Poster for Pincher Creek Chamber’s 31st Annual Awards of Excellence on October 23, 2026. Ticket prices and event details are listed, with a link for tickets at PincherChamber.ca/tickets.

Mayor Wayne Oliver agreed, saying there can be value in allowing a request to “percolate” before council makes a decision.

The bylaw gives council several options after hearing a delegation. It can receive the presentation as information, refer it to a committee, defer it to another meeting, appoint a special committee or deal with the matter at the meeting. Deciding that night takes a special resolution if the request isn’t a separate item on the agenda.

Dunbar said council retains that flexibility, and the changes were meant to create options for council, rather than obligations, while allowing administration to prepare items that are ready for a decision.

Petitions removed

The biggest change to the bylaw came at first reading, and it wasn’t in the original draft.

Nodge raised concerns that the bylaw’s petitions section conflicts with how the Municipal Government Act defines a petition, which is a formal process that requires signatures from a set percentage of electors.

She said using the same term for a much less formal process risks confusing residents about which route actually compels council action.

Dunbar said the sections were intended to address requests to council rather than create a separate public petition process. He noted other written requests can already be handled through the bylaw’s provisions on communication with council.

Council agreed the petition sections overlapped with the bylaw’s broader delegation and correspondence provisions and voted to remove sections 118, 119 and 120.

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On Sept. 28, Nodge noted that a heading in the bylaw still referred to petitions, and council struck the word before passing the final readings.

Deputy mayor and committees

The changes also give council greater flexibility over the deputy mayor position.

The old bylaw provided for an automatic eight-month rotation. Council now chooses its deputy mayor each year using whatever method it considers appropriate. Dunbar said councils can use different approaches, including votes or dividing the position among multiple councillors.

Committee preferences are also handled differently. Councillors will provide their preferences to administration before the organizational meeting and staff will compile the responses into one summary for the agenda package.

Dunbar said this allows councillors to see which committees have attracted interest before making appointments. Council retains authority over the appointments.

Another change gives council, rather than staff, authority over councillor seating at the organizational meeting.

The annual council meeting schedule is removed from the body of the bylaw, and council instead sets its schedule by resolution at the organizational meeting.

Dunbar said this avoids amending the procedural bylaw whenever council wants to change a meeting date.

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Correspondence and reports

The updated bylaw consolidates provisions dealing with communication to and from council. The old rules assumed signed paper letters, but Dunbar said most communication now comes by email.

Under the new wording, the CAO determines whether correspondence should go on an agenda, receive a direct response or be referred to the mayor, while council is still informed about what was received and how it was handled.

The bylaw also formalizes written council reports, following council’s June 22 direction to move away from verbal reports during meetings. Reports are due by 4 p.m. the Wednesday before each meeting, and a verbal report no longer counts.

One change doesn’t appear in the bylaw at all. When council finishes its agenda, the mayor now simply adjourns the meeting and notes the time, with no motion or vote, Dunbar told council Sept. 28. A motion is still needed to end a meeting before the agenda is done.

Council’s Oct. 26 organizational meeting will be the first held under the new rules, including choosing a deputy mayor and setting council’s seating and meeting schedule.

Council pushes back on provincial gravel pit rules

Written on September 23, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government, Environment.

MD of Pincher Creek council will tell the province it has concerns about changes that give provincial gravel pit approvals priority over local planning, following its Sept. 8 meeting.

Council also heard a neighbour’s objection to a proposed gravel pit east of Pincher Creek and agreed to keep subsidizing waste service at Castle Mountain Resort.

Provincial gravel pit approval changes

Council directed administration to send the province the MD’s concerns about proposed changes to how gravel pits are approved.

Alberta Environment and Protected Areas is updating its Code of Practice for Pits. The changes follow amendments to the Municipal Government Act through Bill 28 and recommendations from the provincial Sand and Gravel Task Force.

The province and municipalities have each played separate roles in approving aggregate pits on private land, with the province focused on environmental impacts and municipalities on land-use planning.

Bill 28: Municipal Affairs and Housing Statues Amendment Act, introduced a new section to the MGA that makes provincial approvals paramount. Municipalities are required to bring their land-use bylaws and planning documents in line with decisions made at the provincial level rather than running a parallel approval process.

The MD received information from Rural Municipalities of Alberta, which said in a Sept. 18 statement: “Based on what is known and not yet known about how x. 619.1 will be implemented, the change may introduce significant risks to municipalities, landowners and industries.”

The RMA lists:

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—Impact of poor co-ordination and alignment across different government processes.

—Limited ability to appeal a pit registration coupled with a lack of public hearing or community engagement in the provincial registration process.

—Unclear division of roles and responsibilities with potential unintended consequences.

—Need for improved communication and inspection and enforcement measures to prevent expansion of operators with a poor history of compliance.

Proposed gravel pit rezoning

Council also held a public hearing on Bylaw 1374-26, which proposes changing the land-use designation of a quarter-section east of Pincher Creek (NE-7-9-1-W5) from agricultural to direct control. The proposed rezoning would allow gravel pit development on the property.

The public hearing drew a written objection from an adjacent landowner, but no one appeared in person to speak against it.

The neighbour argued there is no need for a third gravel pit within less than a mile of the site, urging the MD to explore alternative sites or expand existing pits rather than disturb native grassland.

The letter raised concerns about dust, noise, traffic and groundwater contamination, and said the pit could put the writer’s property, livestock and family at risk, and permanently harm land values. The letter asked council to reject the application and prioritize conservation of the grassland over further extraction.

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Gavin Scott, senior planner with the Oldman River Regional Services Commission, outlined the history and reasoning behind the proposed amendment.

An open house is scheduled for Oct. 1 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the MD council chambers.

Castle Mountain Resort to keep free recycling and garbage service

Council agreed to continue providing Castle Mountain Resort Inc. with a fully subsidized cardboard recycling service and residential garbage bin after reviewing the expense of the arrangement.

Administration will write to the resort to say the service continues at no cost for now but could be revisited.

The cost varies, says Jessica McClelland, executive assistant for the MD. The landfill picks up a full cardboard bin at an average of $317 a trip, plus the landfill’s tipping fee.

“Some months it’s once; some months it could be twice,” she says.

Library seeks support for dark sky event

Pincher Creek Municipal Library asked the MD for financial support for a dark sky event planned for January 2027. The library plans to expand the program to two days, running 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day.

The total cost is expected to be $8,200. The library has already secured $6,000 through grants, leaving $2,200 to raise.

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Council received the request as information and recommended the library contact the MD’s grant writer to explore other funding options.

Lundbreck growth study

Council gave second and third reading to Bylaw 1373-26 after a public hearing at which no one spoke and no written submissions were received.

The bylaw amends the MD’s municipal development plan, replacing an existing hamlet policy with new wording that requires the Lundbreck Hamlet Growth Study be referenced in all future development matters in the hamlet.

It also calls for the study to be periodically updated with current data and progress on its action items.

Council approves ALUS letter of support

Council also approved a letter of support for Alternative Land Use Services, which is applying for funding through the Ecosystem Services Grant Program.

ALUS pays farmers and ranchers to maintain wetlands, grassland and other habitat on working land.

Committee meeting

The MD council committee met earlier the same day. Committees make recommendations rather than decisions.

Food centre reports increase in demand

The Pincher Creek and District Community Food Centre told the committee it served 427 people between May 2025 and April 2026, including 282 existing clients and 145 new clients.

The number was up from 412 people in 2024-25 and 197 in 2023-24.

The centre provides free food hampers to eligible residents in the town and MD, based on a means test.

An average of 77 households were served each month. The centre recorded 785 deliveries and 140 pickups. People in Pincher Creek can have hampers delivered, while rural residents generally pick them up in town.

The centre reported $392,314 in income and $341,895 in expenses for the year. Board chair Davina Brown also reviewed the centre’s strategic priorities and outcomes with the committee.

Councillors discussed ways the MD could help promote the food centre, including a program that allows ranchers to donate beef in exchange for a tax receipt.

Tourism group seeks $12,500

Representatives from the South Canadian Rockies Tourism Association told the committee the organization is seeking municipal funding for the 2026-27 year to support regional destination marketing and management.

Senior board adviser Sacha Anderson and executive director Erin Fairhurst outlined the association’s work, which they said helps secure additional partner funding and supports tourism projects without adding to the workload of municipal staff.

The association said the municipal contribution would form part of an 80-20 funding request to the province, with the town and MD of Pincher Creek, and Improvement District No. 4 providing the 20 per cent local share.

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The association outlined several areas of planned work. One is a resident sentiment campaign aimed at helping rural residents understand tourism and provide feedback about its growth.

It is also developing a detailed inventory of tourism assets across the MD. The inventory will include attractions, recreation sites, events, accommodations, short-term rentals and visitor services. The association said the inventory could help identify needs such as signage, parking, washrooms and trails.

Another proposed focus is public education around responsible recreation. The association plans to promote Leave No Trace principles, safety guidelines and appropriate recreation areas.

The association also detailed its regional advocacy work involving transportation, signage, trails, parking, cellular coverage and recreation access. It said a regional approach could help connect local priorities with provincial tourism strategies and future funding opportunities.

The association is also exploring a destination marketing fee, a levy on hotel and other accommodation bookings that funds tourism promotion. It said any such fee would require local discussion, industry participation and municipal consideration.

RMA convention plans finalized

The committee also reviewed plans for the Rural Municipalities of Alberta fall convention and trade show, running Nov. 2 to 5 in Edmonton.

Couns. Dave Cox and John MacGarva will take a budget and finance course Nov. 2, then join the remaining councillors, the chief administrative officer and the public works manager for the convention.

Catch the wind: Business loan partnership pitched to council

Written on September 23, 2026. Posted in Business & Economy, Civic & Government.

A regional non-profit is proposing a formal partnership with the Town of Pincher Creek that would give local businesses access to interest-free improvement loans, free consulting and business training.

The proposal by Community Futures Alberta Southwest includes loans of up to $25,000 for business improvements, with the town covering interest costs within a council-approved annual limit. It was presented by Mark Brown, executive director, at town council’s Sept. 14 regular meeting.

“Catch the wind” is a reference to the Cowley Ridge wind farm built west of Pincher Creek in 1993. Brown used it as a metaphor for the untapped energy of local entrepreneurship, saying ambition and local capital, like wind, generate nothing until something is built to capture them.

“There’s a second invisible force in the town: the energy of people with ideas and businesses to build,” he said.

Brown identified four challenges that can hold back small businesses: capital leaving the region when loans come from national banks, a financing gap for viable but unproven businesses that banks decline to fund, an aging group of business owners without succession plans, and entrepreneurs building businesses without outside guidance.

He cited a failure rate of about 75 per cent within five years for small businesses in Alberta.

To address those pressures, Brown proposed a partnership built around four components. The first is a referral pipeline, in which town staff would direct entrepreneurs who inquire about business licences or starting a business toward Community Futures for free consulting, coaching and training.

“Most businesses would get these services free. We provide up to six hours of free coaching or consulting,” Brown said in a later interview. “We also offer free online education, and then if a business decides they want to take that part of it farther, they can.”

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The second component is a redesigned business improvement loan program offering interest-free loans of $5,000 to $25,000 over terms of three to five years.

Community Futures would administer the financing and report back to the town. Its own board, not council, would approve each loan, a process Brown said typically takes one to four weeks.

Brown said the redesign grew from a 2025 Community Futures survey of more than 900 business owners across southern Alberta.

“The research we did said that that program is still needed, but $10,000 doesn’t buy you much nowadays,” he said.

“So, they’re looking for an increase to that from $5,000 to $25,000 in amounts, up to five years, and again, interest-free, or the town would pay the interest on that loan over the course of that loan,” He said.

The third component is joint promotion, with Community Futures and the town advertising Pincher Creek’s business-friendly programs together rather than separately.

The fourth is a standing seat for Community Futures in the town’s economic development discussions.

Brown also described a separate service, the exit navigator program, aimed at helping business owners prepare for retirement or ownership transitions. He said it is underused but important for keeping storefronts from sitting vacant when longtime owners retire.

He asked council to direct administration to work with Community Futures on a memorandum of understanding. This would set out how the partnership would work, what it would cost the town and who would be responsible, while providing real numbers for council to base a decision on.

Community Futures has similar formal arrangements with the towns of Cardston and Claresholm, and Brown said he is also in talks with the MD of Pincher Creek about the program.

Community Futures Alberta Southwest is a non-profit funded by Prairies Economic Development Canada, the federal economic development agency for the Prairies. Brown described it as a one-year contribution agreement with Ottawa.

It serves Pincher Creek, Fort Macleod, Cardston, Claresholm, Waterton and other communities in the region from its office in Fort Macleod. Its focus is on economic diversification and support for the agricultural and tourism sectors.

According to figures Brown presented, the organization has funded 391 businesses and invested $21.3 million since 1999, with about $2.23 million currently circulating through repaid and re-lent loans.

In Pincher Creek, Community Futures has approved 96 loans totalling $5.31 million since 1999, with about $760,000 still in circulation.

Business Loans, Business Succession, Business Training, economic development, Entrepreneurship, Small Business

Town and MD approve $467,255 for six community groups

Written on September 23, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government.

Six local organizations will receive a combined $467,255 in 2026 funding from the Town and Municipal District of Pincher Creek after councils reviewed their requests at a special joint budget meeting Sept. 9.

Funding amounts are split equally between the town and MD.

The meeting also prompted a push to rethink the joint budget process, after councillors questioned whether recurring recipients should be treated as ongoing budget lines and raised concerns about incomplete financial information.

Councils also approved 2027 per-capita grants for 21 community groups.

Pincher Creek Municipal Library

The largest allocation is $285,000 for the library.

The library requested a 7.5 per cent increase in its municipal funding for 2027, followed by annual increases of five per cent from 2028 through 2030.

Representatives told councillors library visits are up an average of 10 per cent since 2022 and cardholders by six per cent. Programming sessions are up 25 per cent and participation is up 20 per cent over the same period.

The library also highlighted expanded programming, a reorganized children’s section and a partnership with United for Literacy. It would like to use the former Consistent Fitness space in the multipurpose facility for programming.

Library board members asked why they had not heard back on three expansion options presented months ago. Town officials said they cannot afford the $4 million originally sought from the town but are open to a lower-cost option.

Grant specialist

The Southwest Alberta Sustainable Community Initiative will receive $80,000 for its grant specialist position.

SASCI representatives said the program has helped secure $13.2 million in funding since it began in 2018.

The grant writer applied for $2.1 million and obtained $1.12 million in funding for 2025.

Humane society

The Pincher Creek Humane Society will receive $40,000. The shelter helped 276 animals in 2025.

The organization said veterinary costs are its largest expense at about $100,000 annually. It is exploring an in-house veterinary service to reduce those costs.

Heritage Acres

The Oldman River Antique Equipment and Threshing Club, which runs Heritage Acres Farm Museum, will receive $35,000.

The group had asked for $200,000 for redevelopment, conditional on securing more funding to hire staff. The club said the $200,000 would help unlock matching grants rather than cover operating costs.

Heritage Acres representatives said gate admissions for the museum’s annual show increased 64 per cent over the previous year.

The funding motion included an offer of a letter of support and future case-by-case funding talks.

Search and rescue

The Southwest Alberta Regional Search and Rescue Society will receive $22,255. The society’s 30 members have volunteered more than 2,600 hours, not including administration and equipment maintenance.

The group responded to 22 call-outs in the previous 12 months, including incidents requiring helicopter and long-line rescue resources.

Historical society

The Pincher Creek and District Historical Society, which runs Kootenai Brown Historical Park, will receive $5,000.

Council members said incomplete financial information from the society made it difficult to make decisions involving taxpayer funds.

The society’s board president said there was confusion over what financial information had been requested and what had been submitted.

Joint grants under review

The councils directed the joint grant subcommittee to review the history of the six organizations included in the joint budget and develop a policy and framework for the process. Councillors also raised concerns about financial reporting from some organizations.

Councillors said joint grants are discretionary and do not guarantee ongoing funding. The review is intended to clarify how organizations become part of the joint budget and how future requests should be assessed.

Per-capita grants

For 2027, councils also approved per-capita funding for 21 community organizations:

—Syncline Castle Alpine Trails Association, $380

—McMan Youth, Family and Community Services Association, $500

—Pincher Creek Dolphins Swim Club, $1,500

—Five-Pin Bowling Association, $2,000

—Pincher Creek Mustangs Football Club, $2,000

—Windsor Heritage Drop-In Centre, $2,000

—Coalfields Community Centre, $2,500

—The Cowboy Show, $2,500

—Group Group Youth Society of Pincher Creek, $2,500

—Adaptable Outdoors, $3,000

—Pincher Creek and District Agricultural Society, $4,000

—Pincher Creek Care Bears Society, $5,000

—Pincher Creek Royal Canadian Legion Branch 43, $5,000

—Pincher Planters $5,000

—SASCI, $5,000

—Pincher Creek and District Community Food Centre, $7,160

—Pincher Creek and District Chamber of Commerce, $7,500

—Community Hall, $15,000

—Pincher Creek Handi-Bus Society, $15,000

—Allied Arts Council of Pincher Creek, $20,000

—Pincher Creek Family Centre, $30,000

Correction: A Sept. 23 version of this story incorrectly reported that overall attendance at Heritage Acres Farm Museum rose 64 per cent over the previous year. The 64 per cent increase was in gate admissions for the museum’s annual show.

Missing referendum signs a police matter, not a town one, CAO says

Written on September 23, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government, RCMP & Public Safety.

Signs promoting Alberta independence have been knocked down or taken repeatedly in Pincher Creek since they went up Sept. 8, according to a volunteer with the campaign that placed them.

They asked not to be named for fear of being targeted in the community. They filed a report with RCMP on Sept. 10 for the first incident but not subsequent ones.

Pincher Creek RCMP confirm they haven’t received further complaints about damaged or removed referendum signs since then.

According to the volunteer:

—Signs near Community Hall were pulled down the evening of Sept. 9 and moved down the fence line. One was broken in half and others piled together under horse manure.

—Four signs placed in front of the library were knocked down or removed each night from Sept. 11 to 14, and replaced each following day.

—Two of four replacement signs at the library were gone the morning of Sept. 16 and four signs were taken down on Remington Avenue the same day.

—Two large signs along Highway 3 were on the ground Sept. 16 after standing the night before.

Shootin’ the Breeze is not aware of any damage to or removal of local signs advocating the federalist position.

What the law says

In a June 29 post on Facebook, Elections Alberta said it is responsible only for monitoring the messages on referendum advertising and ensuring advertisers include the required authorization statement.

Complaints are handled by the RCMP. Pincher Creek RCMP confirm that damaging or taking a sign can be treated as mischief or theft under the Criminal Code.

Town’s role

The Town of Pincher Creek has no power to set rules for referendum signs, or to investigate when they go missing, says chief administrative officer Konrad Dunbar.

“We want to maintain a neutral stance,” he says.

Dunbar meets with any campaign that asks. Local independence supporters met with him before Aug. 31 to go over proposed sign locations.

“It is not in our mandate — we are not allowed to direct sign placement or remove signs. But we can confirm whether the locations a third party advertiser has in mind are on public or on private land,” he says.

A 2025 provincial amendment bars municipal councils from passing bylaws or resolutions about election signs or advertisements.

Dunbar says that before the change, each municipality could set its own sign rules, which for a provincial vote meant a patchwork. The amendment “created equal access all across the board,” he says.

If town staff need to move a sign for safety or mowing, they either contact the organization responsible or briefly move and replace it, he says.

Waterton Avenue is part of provincial Highway 6, so provincial highway rules apply. They prohibit signs on medians and signs that obstruct sight lines, interfere with traffic signs or create other hazards.

Placement guidelines

In an Aug. 20 letter to the Town of Pincher Creek, Let Alberta Decide lawyer Keith Wilson said volunteers had been told to follow guidelines similar to Calgary’s sign rules.

According to the letter, signs should:

—Not be placed within about 15 metres of an intersection.

—Not be placed within about 10 metres of a crosswalk.

—Be at least two metres behind the curb or roadway edge where practical.

—Not be placed on medians or traffic islands.

—Be spaced apart from similar campaign signs.

—Not block sight lines for drivers, cyclists or pedestrians.

—Not interfere with sidewalks, pathways, transit, traffic-control devices, utilities or municipal operations.

—Be securely installed and maintained.

Wilson said the campaign will remove its signs promptly after the Oct. 19 referendum.

Dunbar says the guidelines are in line with provincial highway guidelines.

He invites anyone with questions about sign placement to contact him at 403-627-3156.

Alberta Separation | Independence | Bill 54, Election Signs, Referendums

Council holds off on cutting utility franchise fees

Written on September 23, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government.

Pincher Creek town councillors put off a decision on utility franchise fees Sept. 14 after debating whether trimming the charges to ease pressure on residents’ bills was worth the hit to the town’s budget.

Council also heard Northback Holdings’ economic case for its proposed Grassy Mountain coal mine, voted down a funding request from the library, and set a date for its tax recovery auction.

Council debates utility costs

Council deferred decisions on both the natural gas and electricity franchise fees to Sept. 28.

It was asked to set the franchise fee percentages for 2027 and 2028 at once, as the town now budgets on a two-year cycle. Residents pay these fees on their gas and power bills.

The natural gas fee with Apex Utilities has sat at the maximum allowable 35 per cent since 2024, bringing in about $849,000 in 2025. The electricity fee with FortisAlberta, capped at 20 per cent, brought in about $673,000 in 2025.

Coun. Brian McGillivray proposed reducing the gas fee to 30 per cent, saying residents are facing difficult choices between groceries, rent and utility bills.

Coun. Sahra Nodge has historically supported the higher fee because it allows the town to collect revenue from utility customers who do not pay property taxes. However, she said the increasing dollar amounts have changed her view.

Chief administrative officer Konrad Dunbar told council a reduction from 35 to 30 per cent would reduce revenue by about $134,000. He said that could affect the town’s target of a three per cent tax increase and that keeping services at current levels might require other changes.

Mayor Wayne Oliver said framing the fees as percentages was misleading, since a household’s actual savings from a five-point cut would amount to only about a dollar or two per bill.

He asked administration to report back on how much franchise fee revenue the town collected last year compared with what was budgeted. He also suggested councillors review their own annual utility bills before making a decision.

Northback outlines economic impact of coal mining

Northback CEO Brad Johnson presented council with findings from a socioeconomic impact study the company commissioned from the accounting firm EY to support its bid to revive the Grassy Mountain coal project in the MD of Ranchland, north of Blairmore.

Johnson said Northback provided EY with project data, including expected costs, employee numbers and other activities. EY then used Statistics Canada data and economic modelling to estimate the project’s broader effects.

The proposed mine would require about $1.4 billion in capital investment during a two-year construction period, Johnson said.

According to the study, about $1.2 billion of that spending could contribute to Canada’s gross domestic product during construction.

The study also estimates about $14 billion in additional Canadian exports over the life of the project.

Johnson said the mine could support about 9,577 full-time-equivalent positions during construction. Operations could support about 1,756 full-time-equivalent positions nationally.

He said the regional impact could include about 875 full-time-equivalent jobs, including direct, indirect and induced positions. Northback expects about 425 full-time-equivalent employees to work directly at the mine.

Johnson said the company expects about $3.8 billion in wages over the mine’s operating life and that about 90 per cent of its operating spending would remain in Canada.

The company is still completing its integrated application for regulatory approval. Johnson said Northback expects to submit the application within the next six months. That could be as early as December, depending on the completion of technical modelling, particularly related to water.

He said the regulatory process could eventually lead to a statement of concern process and additional information requests.

Oliver asked how Northback would address housing needs if the project proceeds, saying the region has limited housing options and could see an influx of workers.

Johnson said Northback has considered the issue and expects employee busing to be part of its plans. The company could provide transportation from Pincher Creek and communities farther east, as well as from Crowsnest Pass, he said.

Johnson also said Northback owns surface land in Crowsnest Pass and is open to discussions with the municipality about potential housing opportunities.

Library funding request denied

Council voted 6-1 against contributing up to $1,100 to Pincher Creek Municipal Library’s two-day dark sky planetarium program, planned for January 2027. Coun. Mark Barber was the only member in support.

The expanded two-day program is expected to cost $8,200. The library has secured $6,000 through grants and is seeking the remaining $2,200.

McGillivray questioned whether the town should contribute while looking for ways to reduce spending and support residents facing financial pressures. He said the request should have gone through the joint funding process instead.

Tax recovery auction set for November

Council approved the terms and process for its 2026 property tax arrears recovery public auction, set for Nov. 16 at 3 p.m. in the council chambers at town hall.

Council also set reserve bids for two properties heading to auction, a mobile home lot at $26,600 and a house at $313,400, based on assessed values.

Oliver questioned whether the reserve amounts were reasonable and why the figures must be discussed publicly.

Dunbar said the practice follows the Municipal Government Act’s requirement that current owners have the opportunity to recover their assessed value.

Regional water planning grant

Council agreed to join the MD of Pincher Creek’s application for a 2026-27 Alberta Community Partnership grant for a regional water and wastewater expansion and upgrade plan. The MD would serve as managing partner, with the town as a participating partner.

The proposed plan would examine the costs of servicing areas including the Pincher Creek Airport and Pincher Station.

The grant program can cover 90 per cent of eligible planning costs, up to $150,000. The application deadline is Oct. 1.

Council reviews second-quarter finances

The town recorded an operating surplus of about $2.24 million for the first six months of the year, largely because the full year’s property taxes were billed in that period. Council accepted the operating statements for the six months ending June 30.

Total revenue for the period reached about $9.18 million, about 75 per cent of the $12.15-million annual budget. Net municipal property taxes came in at about $5.66 million, essentially matching the full annual budget.

Other revenue was closer to the halfway mark:

—User fees and sales: $1.47 million of $2.92 million.

—Franchise and concession fees: $816,000 of $1.43 million.

—Government operating transfers: $623,000 of $838,000.

—Rental income: $322,000 of $829,000.

Total expenses stood at about $6.94 million, or about 52 per cent of the $13.41-million annual budget, in line with the midpoint of the year.

Salaries, wages and benefits made up the largest single expense category at $2.37 million, about 46 per cent of the $5.19 million budgeted for the full year.

Recreation and culture was the largest department expense at $2.08 million of a $4.22-million budget.

Spending on water supply and distribution, wastewater treatment, roads and protective services all tracked between about 28 and 46 per cent of their respective annual budgets.

Dunbar said administration has not identified any major concerns with the statements. He said the town is also working toward more detailed quarterly reporting as it moves through its two-year budgeting process.

Young entrepreneurs serving it up for Pincher Creek’s Lemonade Day

Written on August 14, 2026. Posted in Community Life, Youth.

During rodeo weekend, some of Pincher Creek’s smallest business owners will set up shop on Main Street, armed with lemonade, hand-painted signs and business plans.

Set to return on Saturday, Aug. 15, Lemonade Day gives kids a hands-on turn at running a business of their own.

Organized each year by Pincher Creek and District Chamber of Commerce, Lemonade Day teaches children how to start, own and operate a business. Chamber manager Crystal Senkpiel says the real-world component is what makes it valuable for local youth.

“Instead of just reading about economics in a classroom, the kids get to set up their own business and run it with real customers and real money, and it teaches crucial life skills like business planning, problem solving, that sort of thing,” she says.

“It’s just a great opportunity to encourage youth entrepreneurship and plant that seed for future business.”

Eight stands will be set up throughout town, with 16 children taking part. Four stands will be run by individual participants, the rest by pairs or groups of siblings and friends.

While stands can be opened earlier to serve parade-goers and those in town for rodeo festivities, judging runs from noon to 2:30 p.m., with stands open to the public throughout.

Participants will be assessed on several aspects of their businesses.

Judges score the lemonade on flavour, tartness, sweetness, presentation and value, while the stand itself is assessed on appearance, health and safety, signage and branding, location and customer service.

The third category, the business plan, includes the participant’s completed workbook, gross income, net profit, profit goals and charitable donation.

The chamber introduced a revised workbook this year, aimed at making business concepts easier for younger participants to understand. It is used primarily for planning before Lemonade Day, with participants finishing after their businesses have run.

Completed workbooks are due to the chamber by 4 p.m. on Aug. 22, when judges will review them as part of the final scoring. They can be dropped off at Pincher Pets or emailed to Senkpiel.

The three category winners — best lemonade, best display and best business plan — each receive $100, while the overall winner receives $300. The overall winner also gets to showcase their business at the chamber’s Awards of Excellence on Oct. 23, serving their lemonade to gala guests.

Participants can add a touch of realism to their businesses by obtaining a free business licence through the Town of Pincher Creek. The licence is not scored by judges, but Senkpiel says participants are encouraged to display a licence in case a bylaw officer swings by to check.

With the competition running alongside the rodeo parade, Senkpiel looks forward to seeing how the young entrepreneurs distinguish themselves.

“I’m excited to see their creativity and how those kids are thinking outside the box,” she says. “A lemonade stand sounds pretty basic, but it’s fun to see how they get creative and come up with ideas that maybe make them stand out against their competition.”

Senkpiel says community support also helps the young participants build confidence.

“If you could bring your change and come prepared to spend a little bit of money at their stands and give them some encouragement, it would be great,” she says.

Community members are also encouraged to photograph their favourite stands and share them on social media using #PincherCreekLemonadeDay.

For more information, visit pincherchamber.ca/lemonadeday. Questions can be directed to Senkpiel at info@pincherchamber.ca or 403-627-5199.

Entrepreneurship, Lemonade Day

A camper trailer under a permanent roof structure

Town votes down plan to allow RVs as permanent homes

Written on August 4, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government.

Can recreational vehicles designed for temporary use also serve as permanent homes? The Town of Pincher Creek has decided no — at least not under current land-use rules.

At its July 27 meeting, council voted 6-0 to defeat Land Use Bylaw Amendment 1639-25-C, which would have allowed RVs to be used as permanent homes in the town’s manufactured and mobile home parks through discretionary approvals. Coun. Sahra Nodge was absent.

Under current rules, RVs are a prohibited use in those parks and cannot legally serve as full-time residences. The bylaw process now ends and that prohibition stands.

The request

The change was requested by Ok Hee Kim, a mobile home park owner, who asked council to allow RV residential use under discretionary approval.

In her application, Kim said many people cannot afford traditional housing or the cost of relocating an older mobile home, and allowing RVs as dwellings could expand options in an area with limited affordable housing.

She also said it would formalize existing non-compliant RV occupancy.

The case for

At a July 27 public hearing, several residents backed the change, citing the region’s housing affordability pressures.

One woman said she moved to an RV after being priced out of rentals, and described her lot as clean, affordable and well maintained. Restricting RV living, she said, would harm vulnerable, low-income residents, particularly as affordability pressures grow and aging infrastructure limits other housing options.

Another resident shared personal experience and said RV living is an option for people struggling with rising housing costs.

A written submission supported letting council consider RV occupancy through discretionary approval and suggested conditions such as ownership rules, seasonal limits, parking and screening, to regulate it.

The case against

Senior planner Steve Harty recommended council defeat the amendment, and several residents who spoke against it echoed his concerns.

Harty said RVs are legally classified only for travel and recreation, are not recognized as permanent housing under provincial rules, and fail national building code standards for insulation and fire safety. Also, RVs are not generally designed for year-round living in Alberta’s climate.

Residents who opposed the amendment raised the same fire-safety concern, noting RVs are built to different standards than permanent homes.

Harty also flagged a gap in tenant protections, noting Alberta’s Residential Tenancies Act may not clearly cover RV rental arrangements.

Both the planner and a number of residents warned the change could set a precedent. Harty cautioned that approving RV use in one district could invite similar requests elsewhere and that adding it to the R2 land-use district would open the possibility across all five of the town’s manufactured and mobile home parks.

Residents echoed that a bylaw change could have wider effects, including RVs appearing in unexpected public spaces.

Some opponents also raised concerns about neighbourhood impacts, infrastructure, enforcement and pressures they associated with more transient populations.

The vote

The land-use amendment received first reading June 22 and the town mailed notices to 175 nearby property owners June 30, ahead of the July 27 public hearing.

After hearing all submissions, Mayor Wayne Oliver asked whether anyone had new points to raise. None were offered and council voted unanimously to defeat second reading.

With that, the bylaw process ends and RVs remain prohibited as permanent homes under the town’s current land-use bylaw.

Administration noted the decision is final and cannot be challenged.

Affordable Housing, Fire Safety, Housing Affordability, Land Use Bylaws, Manufactured Home Parks, Mobile Home Parks, Public Hearings, Recreational Vehicles, RV Living, Tenant Protections

News briefs from July 27 Town of Pincher Creek council table

Written on August 4, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government.

Pincher Creek town council approved a new child-care lease, set budget guidelines for the coming years and prepared for two fall conferences at its July 27 meeting.

Child-care lease approved after revision

Council unanimously approved a revised lease with KP Squared Innovative Child Care, which will take over operations at two town-owned child-care facilities providing services for local families.

The lease covers the Canyon Creek Early Learning Centre and the Sage Early Learning Centre. KP Squared will continue under the existing lease until the new agreement takes effect. The start date was moved from July 1 to Sept. 1.

Council first reviewed a draft at its June 22 meeting, where members raised concerns about several clauses, including a $500 late-payment charge and insurance requirements, and questioned who would be responsible for major building repairs.

Mayor Wayne Oliver asked whether some insurance provisions, including automobile liability and business-interruption coverage, went beyond standard municipal leasing practice. Administration was directed to amend the draft.

The updated lease removes the late-payment charge and additional rent provisions that could have required the tenant to cover taxes, insurance, utilities and other expenses. It also replaces a clause requiring $5 million in tenant insurance coverage with a requirement that KP Squared provide proof of contents-and liability coverage.

A new clause confirms KP Squared is a not-for-profit entity exempt from property taxes. The revised agreement also makes the town, as landlord, responsible for major structural repairs, such as foundation, roof, exterior walls and mechanical systems such as HVAC, plumbing and electrical.

KP Squared will not be responsible for deferred maintenance or pre-existing conditions, with a building condition report serving as the baseline for future assessments.

Budget guidelines set for 2027 and 2028

Council approved guidelines to help administration prepare an incremental two-year operating budget for 2027 and 2028, with property tax and utility rate increases each capped at three per cent per year. It also called for a review process to account for external changes before 2028.

The guidelines include preparing a capital budget with proposed funding sources and recommended changes to the town’s fees-and-charges bylaw. Changes would be based on market comparisons, cost of service and community benefit.

Council also approved developing an additional three-year capital plan and two-year operating plan for the years beyond 2028, again with property tax and utility rate increases capped at three per cent annually.

In other business

The July 27 meeting was the first to include written council reports in the agenda package.

Council unanimously supported Coun. Valerie Wynder attending the Family and Community Support Services conference in Edmonton from Nov. 25 to 27. Oliver said the conference falls outside the normal council pay structure and suggested council formally support her participation.

CAO Konrad Dunbar presented a new motion tracker that will replace the previous spreadsheet system, sorting council motions into completed, in-progress and not-started categories. Completed items will be removed from future lists once council has reviewed them, keeping the focus on current work. The system is currently in draft form.

Couns. Gordon McMullen, Bernice Cyr, Wynder and Mark Barber confirmed they will attend the Alberta Municipalities convention and trade show in Edmonton, Sept. 23 to 25.

Child Care, Municipal Budgets, Municipal Conferences, Municipal Government, Property Taxes, Town Council, Utility Rates

$2M curling rink deal moves ahead after councils compromise

Written on August 4, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government, Sports.

For weeks, Pincher Creek’s two councils were stuck on a single question: whether the town should guarantee its new curling rink stays a curling rink for the next 40 years. This week, the MD dropped the demand.

The MD of Pincher Creek voted July 29 to abandon the condition — which the Town of Pincher Creek had refused two days earlier — clearing the way for up to $2 million in additional public funding and allowing construction to continue.

Broader questions about the building’s long-term future are left for future negotiations.

The sticking point

At the centre of the standoff was the MD’s proposed defined-purpose agreement, which would have required the rink to operate as a curling facility for up to 40 years. If that ever changed, the town would be on the hook to repay the MD’s funding on a sliding scale.

Town council rejected the agreement at its July 27 meeting, voting 4-2 to decline, with Couns. Mark Barber and Bernice Cyr opposed. Coun. Sahra Nodge was absent from this vote but arrived later in the meeting.

Town administration had already flagged problems with the MD’s draft, including inconsistent grant figures and a clause that could put the town in breach even in circumstances beyond its control, such as the club dropping retail or liquor sales.

Mayor Wayne Oliver compared the request to a 2018 agreement tied to the town’s early-learning centres, where the MD contributed $1 million in exchange for a similar use commitment. But he said this case is different because the town didn’t build the curling rink — the club did.

“By signing this agreement, we are committing to the longevity of curling in the community, with or without the curling club,” he said.

Several councillors said they supported protecting the MD’s investment but questioned whether taxpayers should be responsible if the curling club were ever unable to continue operating the facility.

Councillors were split on how long a commitment made sense, with suggestions ranging from five to 20 years. Couns. Mark Barber and Bernice Cyr both said they were open to a shorter deal; Couns. Valerie Wynder and Gordon McMullen argued any binding term was too much to ask of future taxpayers.

MD drops condition

The MD of Pincher Creek called a special council meeting July 29 to revisit its funding terms. Council voted to rescind the motions it had passed July 14, which had made its additional $1-million contribution conditional on the town signing the defined-purpose agreement.

In its place, council approved a revised package requiring only that the Pincher Creek Curling Club sign an updated funding agreement with the MD. The new terms maintain the MD’s ability to recover its contribution under defined circumstances while dropping the requirement for the town to guarantee the building’s future use.

MD council also reauthorized an interim payment of $340,212 toward the project’s ninth progress payment, to be released once the club signs, from the community initiatives reserve.

What else the town decided

Along with rejecting the agreement, town council settled two other pieces of the curling file July 27.

It approved a revised lease with the curling club. This was a condition of its earlier commitment of up to $1 million, which council approved June 22 contingent on the MD matching the money and on lease changes formalizing the town’s ownership of the completed facility.

The club approved the revised lease on July 17.

The updated version drops a clause requiring the town to consolidate the leased land at no cost and narrows the property description to a single address.

It passed 4-2, with Couns. Brian McGillivray and McMullen opposed. Coun. Nodge was also absent from this vote.

McGillivray said he still doesn’t have a clear total cost for the project.

“I want a line of sight on what we’re spending our money on and I want to know what it is,” he said.

The six councillors also voted unanimously to order a report reviewing how the curling project reached this point, covering council decisions dating back to January 2024. Some debated the terminology, with Cyr objecting to the word “post-mortem,” arguing it implied curling in the town was already finished.

The review will proceed internally unless it proves too costly, in which case council could consider hiring an outside reviewer.

Finally, Oliver proposed the town offer joint ownership of the building as an alternative, a model under which the MD could gain a say in the building’s future use without the town facing financial penalties if the club folded.

That motion passed unanimously, with Nodge joining by then, though councillors stressed it was only a starting point for talks.

How the project got here

The funding dispute follows months of public debate over a funding shortfall that emerged after construction was already underway — the latest chapter in a replacement-rink effort dating back more than a decade.

The Pincher Creek Curling Club first approached the MD in 2015 seeking support for a replacement rink, after the project was estimated at $3 million in 2011. It moved between proposed sites, survived a failed borrowing bylaw, and outlasted a task force that was later dissolved before construction finally began in October 2025.

By then, the budget had grown to $5.23 million, supported by $1.25 million from the town, $1 million from the MD, and a $1-million grant through the Community Facility Enhancement Program.

The gap emerged when the club’s application for a $1.5-million provincial Active Communities Initiative grant was declined in November 2025. By April 2026, club officials told both councils they were running out of money and needed up to $1.8 million in bridge financing while they reapplied.

The request sparked months of public debate over whether taxpayers should fund the half-built facility or risk leaving it unfinished. A mid-June information session drew about 130 residents from the town and MD, divided between support for curling’s role in the community and questions about how the shortfall happened.

Active Communities Initiative, Capital Projects, Community Facility Enhancement Program, Curling, Curling Rinks, Municipal Government, Public Funding

Graphic with the text "Municipal News from the MD of Pincher Creek" on the left side, featuring a stylized image of people seated around a meeting table on the right.

Curling rink gets MD funding boost, but strings attached

Written on July 22, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government, Sports.

The unfinished walls of Pincher Creek’s new curling rink moved a step closer to completion last week, after the MD of Pincher Creek approved up to $1 million in additional funding. Council attached a series of conditions meant to protect taxpayers while construction continues.

Council’s decision follows public debate over whether municipal governments should commit more public money to a project that ran short of funds after construction was underway.

The funding will be released only after agreements are signed with the Pincher Creek Curling Club and the Town of Pincher Creek. Payments will be tied to construction progress, with provisions allowing the MD to recover its contribution if the club later secures provincial grant funding.

To ensure construction is not delayed while those agreements are finalized, council also authorized an instalment of $340,212 for the project’s next progress payment.

Deputy reeve Tony Bruder chaired the July 14 meeting in the absence of Reeve Rick Lemire. He says the instalment is intended to keep construction moving while the required agreements are completed.

The payment is part of the approved contribution of up to $1 million and is expected to be issued by the end of July.

Bruder says the MD will not provide the entire amount up front. Instead, funds will be released as construction bills are submitted, with the final total depending on what construction actually costs.

Funding tied to agreements

The MD’s approval includes several conditions before the full funding commitment proceeds.

The first motion, which approves up to a maximum of $1 million, directs the funding to come from the Community Initiatives Reserve.

The curling club must sign a funding agreement with the MD. Under the agreement, payments will be provided in instalments and may be recoverable depending on the terms.

The MD also requires the Town of Pincher Creek to sign an agreement ensuring the building remains a curling facility for the life of the structure.

Only once both agreements are signed will the MD advance further money beyond the progress payment. That payment was carved out specifically so construction crews get paid regardless of how long the paperwork takes.

“We don’t want to hold up the process,” Bruder says. “In case all the agreements aren’t signed in time, that fourth motion makes sure that the next monthly instalment is covered. So the construction can carry on.”

Repayment tied to grants

The MD and curling club are still finalizing an agreement on repayment. Any provincial grant money the club secures would be used to repay the MD’s contribution, Bruder says.

The club has applied for a $1.5-million Active Communities Initiative grant after an earlier application was declined. Should that application succeed, the club has committed to repaying both the town and MD for their respective shares of the additional funding.

Dispute over ownership

The ownership issue has been a key difference between the town and MD throughout discussions.

During its June 22 meeting, town council approved up to $1 million in additional funding, but attached its own conditions. Those included amendments to the lease agreement to formalize town ownership of the facility before additional money is released.

“From the start of all this, the MD has had the opinion that we want the curling club to own the building,” Bruder says. “We still have that opinion.”

However, because the building sits on town-owned land, he says the MD cannot prevent the town from establishing ownership.

“The town has unilaterally decided that they’re going to own the building. We don’t agree with it, but we can’t stop it because the town owns the land,” Bruder says. “I guess the MD just has to follow along with [what] the town wants.”

Council says project must be completed

Councillors expressed concerns about how the project reached its current financial position but Bruder says they did not want to see the partially completed facility abandoned.

“All of us councillors have discussed this with a lot of our ratepayers in our separate divisions. We’re all kind of disappointed that it got to this point,” he says. “We don’t want to leave a building half built and then put a fence around it and watch it just fall down.”

How the shortfall happened

Discussion of a new curling rink in Pincher Creek dates back more than a decade. The curling club first asked the MD to match town funding for a replacement facility in March 2015, when the project was estimated at $3 million.

In 2017, the town, MD and curling club shared the cost of a new ice plant, with the condition that it could be moved to a future facility.

In 2018, the club again requested municipal support for a new rink.

The proposal moved through multiple sites and stalled repeatedly over the following years. A $4-million borrowing bylaw failed in 2023, withdrawn after a petition opposed it, and a task force on the project was later dissolved.

A memorandum of understanding signed in June 2023 cleared the way for the club to build on land occupied by the town’s golf course, before the club shifted the project to its current site on Chief Mountain Avenue.

Construction began in October 2025, with the project’s budget standing at $5.23 million, supported by $1.25 million from the town, $1 million from the MD and a $1-million provincial Community Facility Enhancement Program grant.

In November 2025, the club learned it was unsuccessful in attaining a $1.5-million Active Communities Initiative grant after construction had already started.

In April 2026, club representatives met with MD officials and requested bridge funding while reapplying for the ACI grant. The club told council it would repay municipal contributions if it successfully secured the $1.5-million grant or other funding sources.

Bruder confirms that repayment remains part of the MD agreement.

“If they get the grant, our portion of the million dollars, or whatever of the million dollars that is used, then they pay us back that amount,” he says.

Community debate preceded decisions

The municipal decisions followed a June 17 public input session that brought together about 130 residents from the town and MD. The meeting featured both support and criticism of additional municipal funding.

Supporters highlighted the curling rink’s role as a community gathering space and pointed to opportunities beyond curling, including youth programs, tournaments and other community uses.

Critics questioned why the project reached a funding shortfall and whether additional taxpayer money should be committed.

Several residents raised concerns about cost increases and accountability, asking why construction started before all funding sources were secured.

The discussion continued when town council considered the issue on June 22. Councillors were divided on whether to provide additional funding.

A motion from Coun. Brian McGillivray to provide no additional funding was defeated in a 4-3 vote.

Coun. Bernice Cyr later brought forward a motion to provide up to $1 million, conditional on matching funds from the MD. That motion passed 4-3.

The town’s funding would be released through monthly instalments tied to construction costs and would require amendments to the lease agreement to formalize town ownership of the facility.

Next steps

MD council’s decision satisfies its side of the matching-funds condition set by the town, but does not resolve remaining uncertainties.

Both the curling club’s agreement with the MD and the town’s agreement guaranteeing the building’s long-term use as a curling facility still need to be signed before the bulk of the $1-million commitment is released.

The town’s lease amendment formalizing its ownership of the building, directed by council in June, also has yet to return for final approval.

The curling club’s application for the ACI grant is also still pending.

Construction is expected to be completed by the end of September 2026.

Active Communities Initiative, Community Facility Enhancement Program, Construction Funding, Curling, Municipal Funding

Two girls pose behind their lemonade stand

Beyond the lemonade stand

Written on July 22, 2026. Posted in Business & Economy.

New Lemonade Day workbook makes business basics easier for kids

Before pouring their first glass of lemonade, Pincher Creek’s young entrepreneurs will need to think like business owners.

That lesson is at the heart of a revised workbook developed by the Pincher Creek and District Chamber of Commerce for its annual Lemonade Day program. The workbook uses simpler language and clearer explanations to help young participants understand concepts such as pricing, budgeting, profit and customer service before opening their lemonade stands during rodeo weekend.

Lemonade Day runs Aug. 15 from noon to 2:30 p.m., with registration open until Aug. 6.

“We’ve always had a workbook that they go through,” says chamber manager Crystal Senkpiel. “But this year we’ve revamped it a little bit, just to simplify things for younger children to understand, and make it a little easier for parents to explain it to the kids.”

The workbook serves as a business plan that participants fill in before and after the event. It encourages children to think beyond selling lemonade by asking why they want to start a business, what problem it will solve, who their customers are and what will make their stand different from others.

It walks participants through four reasons people start businesses: to solve a problem, to share a passion, to be the boss and to make money while helping others. Each idea is explained using everyday examples, such as tangled dog leashes or a love of baking, rather than formal business language.

Participants set spending, savings, sharing and profit goals, and consider donating part of their earnings to a local charity or community organization.

Kids learn basic financial concepts, including how to calculate the cost of producing each cup of lemonade, set a selling price, track expenses and income, and determine whether they have made a profit.

The workbook also covers basic bookkeeping. Expenses are shown as negative numbers, since money is leaving the business, while sales and tips are positive, since money is coming in. The goal is to keep expenses low and increase profit by the end of the day.

“It’s a great opportunity to plant that seed for younger kids to understand how business works,” Senkpiel says.

Judges consider the completed workbook, the quality of the lemonade, the stand’s display and the overall business plan.

Senkpiel says the chamber has received five registrations, including sibling pairs and groups of friends who plan to operate their stands together.

As in previous years, participants will receive a free business licence from the Town of Pincher Creek to display at their stands, adding another element of realism to the experience.

“They’ll go to the town office and let them know they’re doing Lemonade Day,” Senkpiel says. “They can display it at their stand and, when the judges come around, they’ll see that they have their business licence. We always say make sure you have it at your stand in case the bylaw officer comes by.”

Senkpiel encourages people to visit the stands and support the young vendors during Lemonade Day on Aug. 15.

“We have some great entrepreneurs registered for this event, and we’re really hoping the community will come out and support them in their endeavours,” she says. “There’s a lot of hard work they put into it ahead of the event, so it’s a great opportunity to teach them about work ethic and setting a goal and working toward it.”

Interested children can register for the event through the chamber’s website by visiting pincherchamber.ca/events.

Registered participants can pick up a paper copy of the workbook at Pincher Pets, or request a digital copy by emailing info@pincherchamber.ca. Completed workbooks are due by Aug. 12, ahead of the event.

Business Education, Financial Literacy, Lemonade Day, Youth Entrepreneurship

Graphic with the text "Municipal News from the MD of Pincher Creek" across the top, featuring an image of large windmills in a field with mountains in the background.

News briefs from June 23 MD of Pincher Creek council table

Written on July 15, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government.

A resident’s challenge to how fire-suppression costs are billed, and confirmation of more than $1.4 million in local funding allocations from the province, were key topics at the MD of Pincher Creek’s June 23 meeting.

Fire-suppression costs

Bill Thorpe, a longtime MD resident, questioned charging property owners for emergency response costs. He said residents already pay for emergency services through municipal taxes and suggested a model where fire response is funded through taxation instead of recovery charges.

He offered to lead a committee, with support from the MD and the Town of Pincher Creek, to review alternatives.

Council said fire response charges are capped at $25,000. The cap was introduced after a major fire where multiple residents assisted and air support was used, and some landowners later received significant bills for emergency response costs.

Council said it was willing to continue working with the community on the issue, but noted that not all fires occur under the same circumstances. It suggested Thorpe also take the matter to the Pincher Creek Emergency Services Commission.

Provincial funding confirmed for 2026

Council received a letter from Alberta Municipal Affairs outlining the MD’s 2026 funding allocations.

The MD will receive $1,146,862 through the Local Government Fiscal Framework Capital program, $107,056 through the LGFF Operating program and $244,929 through the Building Communities Strong Fund’s community stream.

The funding is part of the province’s support for municipalities to maintain services, improve infrastructure and invest in community priorities.

Aerospace partnership signed

Council approved a memorandum of understanding with three neighbouring municipalities — Cardston County, the MD of Willow Creek and the Town of Fort Macleod — to support regional aviation and aerospace collaboration.

Public auction set for November

The MD will hold a public auction this fall for a property with tax arrears. Under the Municipal Government Act, municipalities must prepare an annual tax arrears list for properties with more than one year of unpaid taxes.

One property currently sits on the MD’s 2025 tax arrears list. Council set a reserve bid of $49,500 for the property, located at SW-01-09-03-W5. The auction is scheduled for Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. at the MD administration building.

In the meantime, the owner can still pay the arrears to prevent the property from being sold.

Humane society receives gravel donation

Council approved a request from the Pincher Creek Humane Society for material support for its agility dog run project. The MD will provide 65 yards of small gravel plus delivery.

The gravel will help create a safer, well-drained surface for the run, which provides exercise, stimulation and training opportunities for shelter animals.

Bylaw error corrected

Council fixed a clerical mistake in a bylaw dealing with agricultural reservoirs and dugouts. Administration found that Bylaw 1369-26 listed the wrong volume — 2,500 cubic metres where it should have read 7,500.

Provincial legislation allows municipalities to correct clerical or technical errors without a public hearing, as long as the fix does not change the bylaw’s substance.

Council gave Bylaw 1372-26 three readings and approved the correction.

Letter of support for ALUS

A letter of support was approved for Alternative Land Use Services for its Building Communities Strong Fund proposal.

Correspondence received as information

Council accepted several other pieces of correspondence without further action.

A Beaver Mines resident, Marie Everts, thanked the MD for supporting the community’s annual spring cleanup and reuse fair, crediting administration and crews for organizing it.

Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors responded to MD concerns about litter at the Pine Ridge turnout.

The province said No Overnight Camping signage would be installed soon, with enforcement to follow through bylaw officers, sheriffs or the RCMP. It said garbage bins at the site are cleaned twice a week and provided a phone line for reporting overflow between cleanings.

Administration will forward the response to the landowners who raised the concern.

Alberta Environment and Protected Areas replied to an MD letter about water access for livestock, saying it is working with MD staff on options including temporary diversion licences, temporary pumping stations and reservoir improvements to increase access for producers.

Hometown Award recipient visits council

Council welcomed Hunter McMullen, a student from Matthew Halton High School, who received the 2026 Hometown Award from the town and MD. McMullen attended the meeting to thank council for the recognition.

Aviation and Aerospace, Building Communities Strong Fund, Fire-Suppression Costs, Hometown Award, Livestock Water Access, Municipal Government Act, Tax-Recovery Auctions

Graphic with the text "Municipal News from the" at the top and "Town of Pincher Creek" at the bottom, featuring a stylized image of people seated around a curved meeting table in the center.

Town revisits economic strategy focused on jobs, housing and growth

Written on July 15, 2026. Posted in Business & Economy, Civic & Government.

Hoping to strengthen Pincher Creek’s economy for years to come, town council is dusting off a five-year-old strategy designed to attract new businesses, create jobs and address long-standing challenges such as housing and workforce shortages.

The Community Economic Development Strategy, approved in 2022 after years of research and public consultation, returned to council July 8 as members discussed how to put more of its recommendations into action rather than leaving it on the shelf.

Mayor Wayne Oliver, who raised the discussion, brought the document forward after realizing several members of the current council had never seen it.

Strategy objectives

The strategy is a 136-page document built around four goals and 30 recommendations.

The goals are to retain and expand existing businesses, attract new investment, develop a regional workforce and leverage the town’s assets to diversify its economy — including plans for a health and wellness hub and a transportation and logistics corridor.

Its research also identified seven key challenges facing the community: a critical housing shortage, looming workforce shortages, a lack of downtown vitality, aging business owners nearing retirement without clear successors, gaps in local data, administrative processes that could be streamlined, and the need to diversify the economy and strengthen business confidence.

The roots of the document stretch back to 2019, when a previous council hired consulting firm InnoVisions and Associates to study the town’s economic future. Researchers interviewed more than 100 business owners and community stakeholders, and hosted two public engagement sessions.

By March 2020 the project was on track, on time and on budget, but work was shelved so attention could turn to helping local businesses survive the Covid-19 pandemic.

Once the crisis eased, work resumed and surveys conducted in 2021 measured the pandemic’s impact on the business community, drawing more than 200 responses. The finished strategy was presented to council in late 2021 and formally approved in January 2022.

Why it stalled

Oliver said the town invested considerable time and money into developing the strategy but did little with it once approved. He encouraged council to determine which recommendations remain relevant and how to act on them.

Coun. Sahra Nodge, who was on council when the strategy was approved, said some recommendations were considered during early budget discussions, but funding requests tied to them were not approved.

Turnover in the town’s economic development role also slowed momentum, she said, leaving no clear ownership of the strategy and no one to connect local business owners with an incentive bylaw that grew from the recommendations.

What’s already happening

Even without a deliberate push, parts of the strategy have advanced through other work.

Nodge said council’s recent focus on housing, particularly through the community housing committee, lines up with one section of the strategy, even if it wasn’t planned that way.

Coun. Valerie Wynder said other pieces have been addressed through a rewritten land-use bylaw and an upcoming review of the municipal development plan.

Oliver said Pincher Creek has changed considerably since the research was done, using downtown revitalization as an example. Many storefronts have been renovated, vacancy rates have fallen and the area appears more vibrant than it did five years ago.

Coun. Mark Barber described a community with uneven growth, with the east side and north end thriving and little commercial space available to rent or buy. He said downtown is far better off than a few years ago but has slowed over the past year.

Barber said a business owner recently raised concerns about beautification and signage at both ends of Main Street, echoing recommendations in the strategy.

What happens now

Councillors generally supported reviewing the strategy while questioning why so many recommendations had not advanced.

Coun. Brian McGillivray questioned what actions had been taken since its approval. He suggested that administration lead the review process with support from a committee, as the strategy is too broad for council to manage alone.

Oliver said he had already asked the town’s housing and economic development committee, which he chairs, to review the strategy’s first goal — retaining and expanding local businesses — ahead of further discussion.

Wynder said the document could help guide budget discussions, including whether to fund an additional economic development position, and was glad council had it in hand before deliberations begin.

Council set no timeline and assigned no specific tasks. Oliver said updates will come through his regular written committee reports.

In an interview after the meeting, Oliver said he is not interested in commissioning a new economic development strategy or rewriting the strategy’s recommendations from scratch. Instead, he wants council to measure what recommendations have already been accomplished and focus on completing what remains.

“The main goal of that document is to help to improve the long-term economic well-being of the community. As elected officials, we should be doing everything we can to help strengthen the businesses in our community,” he said

“If municipalities invest money on strategies, they should see them through to completion. That’s why it’s important to me that we revisit this economic development strategy.”

Business Growth, Downtown Revitalization, economic development, Housing, Workforce Development

A Canadian flag and metal maple leaf marker stand beside a veteran's grave at Fairview Cemetery.

Battling flying foes, determined volunteers honour local veterans

Written on July 1, 2026. Posted in Community Life, History & Heritage.

It was a battle of wills last Wednesday evening at Fairview Cemetery as 13 dedicated volunteers tried to keep swarms of mosquitoes at bay. Determined to place a Canadian flag on the grave of every military veteran and North West Mounted Police and RCMP officer, they persisted against the bloodthirsty opponents.

Jackie Wiens says in the 24 years since the project began, the mosquitoes had never been this bad.

“It was unbelievable. They just rose up in clouds around you,” she says.

Project lead Darren Moen agrees. “They were relentless,” he says.

Volunteers stand by the veterans memorial at Fairview Cemetery after placing Canadian flags.

Volunteers placed Canadian flags on veterans’ graves at Fairview Cemetery on June 24. From left are Aynsley Nelson, David Bruder, David Glass, Jeremy Nelson, John Radvak, Jackie Wiens, Craig Haines, Sue Johnson, Justin Davis and Darren Moen. Missing are Francine Sorge and Brenda Sorge.

Photo by Angie Moen

Behind the twice-yearly ritual lies a story that stretches back generations.

In 1947, Jackie’s grandmother, Alma Dilworth, travelled to Adegem, Belgium, and Nijmegen, Netherlands, to visit the graves of her sons, James and Herman, who lost their lives in 1944.

The family believes Alma may have been among the first Canadian mothers to visit these cemeteries. She was deeply moved by how lovingly the Dutch and Belgian people had adopted the graves of the Canadian soldiers, even planting maple trees around the cemetery perimeter.

When she returned to Canada, Alma was interviewed by the Winnipeg Free Press. She explained how well the Canadian graves were being cared for, with flowers placed throughout and a white-painted cross bearing the fallen soldier’s name and number at every grave.

This image never left her daughter, Emily Rainford.

In 2002, Emily approached the Pincher Creek Legion, wanting to recognize the sacrifices of local veterans around Remembrance Day and Canada Day. She had a list of 120 veterans buried in local cemeteries and flags were placed on their graves.

But flags are not permanent, so the following year, the group followed the lead of the Quill Lake Legion in Saskatchewan, installing permanent metal markers. The silhouetted words One Who Served Their Country are inscribed on the maple-leaf-shaped markers.

Emily again took the lead, approaching the Town of Pincher Creek for permission to place the grave markers.

As she put it then, “We have to tell the story. I’m 80 years old and we have to start teaching our young people what our veterans gave up for their country.”

In January 2004, four retired Shell Waterton employees requested $3,800 to purchase 200 metal maple leaves through the Shell Community Service Fund. The funding was directed through the Pincher Creek Senior Citizens Recreation Society.

Shell also donated the aluminum tubing to be attached to each leaf and filled with cement provided by the Town of Pincher Creek. Through the work of Bob Millar, Dave Millar and Matt Rainford, by June 2004 the first 120 metal leaves were installed. By Nov. 11, 2004, 184 veteran graves were marked at Fairview Cemetery and seven more in smaller cemeteries in the region.

Both Emily and Jackie received certificates of recognition from the Pincher Creek Legion for their services related to the Veterans Grave Remembrance project.

Over time, the project has grown to more than 300 flags on graves in five local cemeteries: Fairview Cemetery, the old Pioneer Cemetery, Trinity Lutheran Cemetery on the Waterton Highway, St. Henry’s Catholic Church Cemetery off Highway 505 and the Fishburn United Church Cemetery on Highway 507.

The project goes far beyond the twice-yearly flag placings. Until he stepped down four years ago, Dave Millar also checked the graves in all five locations throughout the year, looking for lawnmower damage to the maple-leaf markers, repainting or replacing them as needed.

Now Darren Moen walks in Millar’s footsteps. He says new names are added to the list only when family members tell the Legion about a veteran’s grave.

“That is the only way the register is built. We don’t get the information unless family members come forward,” he says.

While Darren’s great-great-grandfather served in the Boer War, he stresses that people do not need a military connection to be involved with the Legion or in veteran-related projects like this.

The flags will be removed after Canada Day to prevent them from becoming litter in the next big windstorm.

Canada Day, Local History, Military History, Remembrance Day, Veterans, Veterans Grave Remembrance, Volunteerism

News briefs from June 22 Town of Pincher Creek council table

Written on July 1, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government.

A wide-ranging discussion on lease conditions, reporting practices and community services shaped Pincher Creek town council’s June 22 meeting.

The most extensive debate centred on a lease agreement between the town and KP Squared Innovative Child Care. Council reviewed several proposed amendments and raised questions about insurance requirements, maintenance responsibilities and financial terms.

Council also considered motions related to councillor reporting practices and advocacy for the Pincher Creek Women’s Emergency Shelter Association, along with a land-use bylaw amendment that would allow recreational vehicles as permanent dwellings in mobile home parks under certain conditions.

Child-care lease sent back for revisions

Council spent considerable time reviewing a draft lease agreement between the Town of Pincher Creek and KP Squared Innovative Child Care, with several sections drawing scrutiny over clarity, scope and financial implications.

KP Squared was set to take over two town-owned child care facilities — Canyon Creek Early Learning Centre at 440 Victoria Cres. and Sage Early Learning Centre at 625 McDougall St. — with an intended start date of July 1. The organization would continue operating under the existing lease in the interim.

The draft lease included amendments proposed by KP Squared and additional revisions from administration, particularly in sections dealing with property taxes, insurance obligations, major repairs and trade fixtures.

The tenant proposed language confirming its not-for-profit status and exemption from property taxes, along with revised wording limiting insurance requirements to proof of contents and liability coverage.

One of the most heavily discussed areas was the division of responsibility for building maintenance and major repairs.

The draft clarified the landlord would be responsible for structural components, including the foundation, load-bearing walls, roof system, building envelope and major mechanical systems such as HVAC, plumbing and electrical infrastructure.

It also added provisions stating the tenant would not be responsible for deferred maintenance or pre-existing conditions identified in a building condition report.

Mayor Wayne Oliver questioned whether some provisions extended beyond typical municipal leasing practice, including automobile liability and business interruption insurance requirements, suggesting they could add unnecessary costs for the tenant.

Council also examined the structure of rent payments and administrative fees, including a $500 late-payment charge that some members described as excessive for a community-based organization.

Administration confirmed the draft was intended to provide a legal framework for council direction, with final cleanup to follow council input.

Council directed administration to amend the draft lease and return it for further review before final approval.

Agendas to include councillor reports

Council passed a motion directing administration to revise the council procedural bylaw to require written councillor reports be included in meeting agendas. The motion originated from a notice of motion from Coun. Valerie Wynder at the June 8 meeting.

Wynder said her goal was straightforward. She wanted councillors’ activities documented and accessible to the public.

Administration recommended reports appear in agendas rather than minutes, noting this approach would be more efficient and make the material easier to find.

Council debated whether reports should be submitted at every regular meeting or only at committee-of-the-whole meetings once a month. Coun. Mark Barber favoured the monthly approach.

Oliver said written reporting could improve public visibility of council work, noting regular council meetings likely attract more public attention than committee-of-the-whole sessions.

The majority agreed regular council meetings were the better venue. The bylaw revision will come back to council for first reading.

Support for women’s shelter

Council voted to waive utility bills for the Pincher Creek Women’s Emergency Shelter Association until further notice. The decision came after the association’s board members appeared before council June 8 to outline the potential impact of recent provincial funding cuts on its operations.

Coun. Sahra Nodge raised the possibility of indirect support through utility relief, describing the shelter’s role as a vital community service.

“It would be a small amount that could support their operations without having to do a direct financial contribution, in addition to advocacy on their behalf,” she said.

The association serves women and children fleeing family violence, covering Pincher Creek, Crowsnest Pass, Fort Macleod, Cardston and other communities across the region.

The Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters has warned that funding-model changes could reduce shelter options in rural Alberta.

RV zoning amendment advances

Council gave first reading to a land-use bylaw amendment that would allow recreational vehicles to be used as permanent residential dwellings in the town’s manufactured and mobile home parks under discretionary-use provisions.

The amendment would also revise the definition of recreational vehicles to include potential permanent residential occupancy where approved and update related zoning language.

The application was submitted by a resident.

Oliver described the first reading as putting the matter on the table. He noted the fire chief had expressed concerns about safety issues related to propane storage with year-round RV occupancy.

Coun. Valerie Wynder asked whether park model trailers could be included in the amendment. Legislative services manager Lisa Goss said the question could be addressed in the department report prepared ahead of the public hearing.

She also said property tax assessments apply to individual units and their owners, not to the mobile home parks, unless the park owner chooses otherwise.

Council approved scheduling a public hearing for July 27 before second and third readings are considered.

Correspondence and information

Council received several items as information, including correspondence from Lethbridge Family Services confirming the expansion of counselling services to Pincher Creek and Crowsnest Pass, a call for municipalities to host the 2027 Alberta Development Officers Association conference, and updates on upcoming events and available grant opportunities.

Child Care, Municipal Governance, Recreational Vehicles, Women’s Shelters

A sign that says "welcome to Pincher Creek" with the town in the background.

Downtown visibility effort raises fairness concerns

Written on July 1, 2026. Posted in Business & Economy, Civic & Government.

A slowdown in customer traffic on Main Street prompted a group of Pincher Creek business owners to seek the town’s help in attracting more visitors downtown, but the pitch didn’t go quite as planned.

After local merchants proposed a town-funded brochure promoting 23 downtown shops, councillors agreed the concept had potential but said it needed broader consultation, more inclusive business representation and a cohesive marketing strategy before public money could be committed.

In the meantime, council directed administration to look at improvements to existing downtown signage while broader branding discussions continue.

Mayor Wayne Oliver said the requests included creating a promotional brochure and improving signage directing visitors to Main Street. He said both projects could be covered within existing budgets.

“I met with a couple of business owners on Main Street. They’ve seen a decrease in foot traffic on Main Street businesses this year, and they’ve proposed creating some awareness of some of the good things that we have,” he said.

The brochure presented lists 23 downtown businesses and a map to show their location on Main Street.

It also includes a brief history of downtown Pincher Creek, tracing the community’s roots from Indigenous Peoples of the Blackfoot Confederacy, Stoney Nakoda and Tsuut’ina nations through the arrival of the North West Mounted Police and the ranching and railway era of the late 1800s.

The proposal called for printing 5,000 copies for distribution in local hotels and other visitor spots.

Oliver said the estimated cost is about $2,000 — roughly $1,400 for the outer brochure and $600 for the insert, or about 40 cents per copy.

A question of fairness

Council’s questions came quickly, many circling the same concern: if the town pays, who gets left out?

Coun. Sahra Nodge said she was confused about the origin of the brochure and whether it was a town product or a private one. That distinction, she said, mattered. She also questioned whether the town should fund a publication that highlights some businesses while leaving others out.

“If this is a Town of Pincher Creek product, we need to be aware that the things we include and don’t include have an impact on businesses in our community,” she said.

If the brochure becomes a town publication, Nodge said, council must ensure businesses are treated fairly. She noted businesses that were omitted and said those decisions could create the appearance of favouritism.

She also questioned some of the brochure’s content.

“In terms of imagery, I think it’s a little bit misleading to have an ice cream cone [on the brochure] when they don’t have any ice cream businesses in town,” Nodge said.

Coun. Gordon McMullen said the Royal Canadian Legion was also overlooked.

“They’ve always got signs out inviting everybody in,” McMullen said. “If it’s brought up to them, they would be willing to probably fund some of it too.”

Coun. Valerie Wynder asked whether the business owners behind the brochure had connected with the local chamber of commerce or with the South Canadian Rockies Tourism Association, a regional destination management organization with access to tourism grants.

“As a council, it doesn’t look great for us to cherry-pick certain businesses. We want to support the whole thing,” she said.

Coun. Brian McGillivray raised the question of fairness beyond downtown. If the town funded promotion for Main Street businesses, he said, it would have to consider doing the same for businesses elsewhere in Pincher Creek.

“If we’re going to pay for it, it should be inclusive rather than exclusive,” he said.

Is a brochure the answer?

McGillivray went further, questioning whether the brochure would make a meaningful difference at all.

“This isn’t going to build business downtown,” McGillivray said. “What we need to consider is that the real reason why business is shrinking is because people are out of money.”

He said spending patterns at local grocery stores reflected broader economic strain, with shoppers shifting to lower-cost brands. Some businesses, he said, had seen sales drop by as much as 50 per cent.

Nodge pushed for a more strategic approach. Rather than producing one-off promotional pieces, she said the town should develop a cohesive brand — one where billboards, brochures, online content and regional partnerships all tell the same story.

“I want them to be really pretty and really connected,” Nodge said. “A whole branded promotional strategy rather than one-offs that look different all over the place.”

Wynder added that cohesive regional branding could also strengthen future grant applications.

“When we can show regional collaboration, that makes us look more attractive to granting,” she said.

She suggested the town reach out to Alberta Southwest Regional Alliance and the MD of Pincher Creek as potential partners.

Oliver said the brochure should be viewed as an early draft intended to start a conversation rather than a finished product.

Council accepted the report as information without approving funding for the brochure.

Signage gets a closer look

Oliver noted a sign near the Heritage Inn directing traffic from Waterton Lakes National Park is faded and partially obscured by trees. A second sign on Main Street heading south is almost entirely hidden by overgrown bushes. A third sign on Highway 3, between Highway 785 and Pincher Station, has carried a graffiti tag for more than 20 years.

Coun. Mark Barber said the signage work shouldn’t wait for a full branding exercise to be completed.

“The downtown vendors and stores are really struggling right now,” he said. “If we can do anything, if they feel that better signage would help, I’d like to get on top of it sooner rather than later.”

Konrad Dunbar, the town’s chief administrative officer, said addressing the existing signs was already on the town’s to-do list. He recommended separating the immediate maintenance work — trimming trees, washing signs, touching up paint — from any larger rebranding effort, which he said would be better addressed during budget discussions.

Council agreed and passed a motion directing administration to examine the costs of improving existing downtown signage, with a focus on rebranding and consistency.

Business Promotion, Downtown Revitalization, Municipal Branding

Town backs $1 million for curling rink — if MD matches it

Written on June 24, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government, Sports.

A divided town council voted June 22 to provide up to $1 million in additional funding to finish Pincher Creek’s half-built curling rink — but only if the MD of Pincher Creek matches it.

The 4-3 decision is contingent on matching funds from the MD and on lease amendments to formalize town ownership before any money is released.

While discussion of curling rink funding was on the June 23 MD council agenda, the matter has been tabled and will come up again in July.

Town council’s vote followed a public information session five days earlier that drew roughly 130 town and MD residents, where speakers alternated between praising curling’s role in the community and questioning how the shortfall happened and why the town and MD were being asked to provide up to $1.8 million combined to keep it going.

A funded project, then a shortfall

Discussion of a new curling rink stretches back more than a decade.

The Pincher Creek Curling Club first approached the MD in 2015, seeking support for a replacement facility. Estimated at $3 million in 2011, the project moved between proposed sites, survived a failed borrowing bylaw and outlasted a dissolved task force before construction finally began in October 2025.

By that point, the total project budget stood at $5.23 million, supported by $1.25 million from the town, $1 million from the MD and a $1-million Community Facility Enhancement Program grant.

In November 2025, the club learned its application for a $1.5-million Active Communities Initiative grant from the province had been declined.

By April 2026, club officials had appeared before both councils to disclose that funds were running out and they were seeking up to $1.8 million in bridge financing while reapplying for the ACI grant.

130 voices, divided

On June 17, about 130 people packed MD council chambers, as supporters and critics lined up to address elected officials of both the town and MD.

Representatives from Curling Alberta said curling clubs are community spaces and that the organization stood ready to support Pincher Creek as the project evolved. Letters of support from Curling Canada and three universities were also submitted.

The community testimony that followed was more layered.

Former teacher Diane Reed said the community needs a variety of recreational opportunities to attract and retain young families, along with activities that bring youth and seniors together.

Allan Anderson, a curling club executive member, described a school program that has seen a surge in youth participation. Hayley Smith, club past-president, shared a vision of a year-round community facility — available for weddings, indoor sports courts and other uses in the summer months.

But the evening was not a pep rally. Several residents stood to ask harder questions, many circling around the same core concern: how did the club break ground without the money in place?

Don Hill, an MD resident, said he understood the project would cost $3 million with no further public contribution required. Seeing a budget now exceeding $5 million, he questioned whether more cost overruns could follow.

“Curling is wonderful, that isn’t the issue,” he said, adding that municipalities should be fiscally responsible with public funds.

Brian Boyce, a town resident who has spoken against the project to both councils in the past, pointed to earlier agreements that envisioned the club raising the balance of required funding. He argued additional grants and fundraising efforts should be explored before turning again to municipal governments.

MD resident Dean Kennedy noted the town’s recreation master plan ranked trails first, hockey rink upgrades second and a new curling rink third. He questioned whether a separate multiplex, combining curling and skating under one roof, might have been the more logical approach, and asked how taxpayer dollars could be expected to support the curling rink while a new arena also looms on the horizon.

Council weighs in

When town council convened June 22, the divisions expressed during the public session were reflected almost exactly around the council table.

Coun. Brian McGillivray moved the opening motion: no additional funding.

He framed it as a question of democratic math. Curlers, he said, represent roughly three per cent of the town’s population and the other 97 per cent had not told him what they wanted.

“Until I know what that is,” he said, “I can’t vote for any further dollars.”

Coun. Gordon McMullen also opposed funding, citing concerns about the original memorandum of understanding, escalating costs and future expenses including demolition of the existing rink.

Couns. Mark Barber, Bernice Cyr and Sahra Nodge took a different view.

Nodge called it a genuinely close community question but said it was in the public interest to complete the project — with conditions. She raised the idea of public-sector ownership, saying the level of public funding involved warranted a corresponding level of public accountability over the asset.

“I want that in black ink, fully done before money goes out,” she said.

Barber pointed to the recreation master plan, which identified a new curling rink among recreation priorities.

Cyr said she would support funding only if the loan could be guaranteed repaid and that failure to do so should result in town ownership. She later framed her position in generational terms.

“I look seven generations past when I’m long gone and I think we need this curling rink,” she said.

Coun. Valerie Wynder described feeling “torn.” She walked through the financial risks of stopping — including the possible recall of the $1-million CFEP grant if the project were abandoned — but said she could not support funding without significantly more robust reporting requirements than were attached to previous contributions.

Mayor Wayne Oliver took the opposing view. Shutting the project down would cost an estimated $800,000 in materials already ordered and demobilization costs, he said, and that figure would not decrease with time.

“It just seems more practical to finish it and not waste the $3.25 million of public money that’s already been put into it,” he said.

McGillivray’s motion to provide no additional funding was defeated 4-3, with McMullen and Wynder joining him in support. Oliver, Nodge, Barber and Cyr voted against.

Cyr then put forward the alternative motion: up to $1 million in additional funding, contingent on matching funds from the MD. The money would be released in monthly instalments aligned with construction costs.

The funding would draw $682,000 from existing Local Government Fiscal Framework and Canada Community-Building Fund grants, plus $318,000 from the land development reserve.

The motion was amended to require changes to the lease agreement that would formalize town ownership of the facility before additional funds are released.

Town CAO Konrad Dunbar clarified that because the building sits on town land, the municipality already holds a form of ownership — the lease change would formalize it. The CFEP grant is not affected by ownership structures, he added; its only requirement is that the building be operated as a public facility.

That motion carried 4-3, with the alignment reversed. A second motion, carried unanimously, directed administration to bring back the amended lease for council approval at a special meeting.

What comes next

MD council will resume funding discussion in July. The town’s $1 million is contingent on the MD matching the contribution.

The club’s application for the $1.5-million ACI grant remains pending. If successful, the club has committed to repaying both the town and MD from those proceeds.

Construction is now expected to wrap by the end of September 2026.

Active Communities Initiative, Bridge Financing, Community Facility Enhancement Program, Curling, Curling Rink, Memorandum of Understanding, Municipal Funding, public engagement, Recreation Infrastructure, Taxpayer Risk

Graphic with the text "Municipal News from the Town of Pincher Creek" on the left, featuring an image of a large statue of blue pincers in a flower bed.

Town considers funding women’s shelter as province cuts $60,000

Written on June 24, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government, Health & Wellness.

Pincher Creek town council is considering ways to support the Pincher Creek Women’s Emergency Shelter Association after the organization warned a provincial funding reduction could force service cuts and leave more women and children without access to safe shelter.

During a June 8 presentation to town council, a delegation from the shelter asked municipal leaders to advocate to the provincial government for the restoration of funding removed under Alberta’s new Emergency Family Violence Services program.

Council has not yet made a decision, but Mayor Wayne Oliver said the matter is expected to return to council for discussion on how the municipality should proceed.

According to PCWESA, it is one of 13 rural Alberta shelters that received a five per cent cut to their operating funding under the new provincial program, announced May 19. The reduction translates to roughly $60,000 — money already allocated in the shelter’s budget before the cut was announced.

“This funding cut means job losses, people being turned away, not having access to safe supports,” executive director Lori Van Ee told Shootin’ the Breeze in a previous interview. “We are already underfunded and to receive a five per cent cut from our budget is huge.”

The cuts are set to take effect July 1, midway through the fiscal year for most shelters, after operating budgets were already approved and staffing commitments made.

Tanya Matthews, treasurer of PCWESA, told council the timing made the situation especially difficult, because the government controls exactly how shelter funds are allocated — meaning the shelter cannot simply shift money between categories to absorb the shortfall.

“The government dictates where the money goes within the shelter, so we can’t just move money around to pay bills and pay staff,” Matthews said.

The shelter serves a wide geographic area, providing emergency accommodation for up to 21 days for women and children fleeing domestic and gender-based violence. Its catchment area stretches from Claresholm and Fort Macleod through Brocket, Standoff, Cardston, Pincher Creek and Crowsnest Pass.

Between April 2025 and March 2026, PCWESA received 422 calls for assistance and provided shelter services to 118 women and children, the delegation told council. During the same period, 120 women were turned away due to complex needs the shelter was unable to accommodate.

Adding to the funding concerns is a new mandate from the province directing shelters to prioritize admission for individuals considered to be in “imminent danger.”

Matthews said the government has not provided a clear definition of the term, creating confusion for shelter staff trying to determine who qualifies for services.

The consequence of that ambiguity was demonstrated June 4, just days before the council presentation, when PCWESA was forced to turn away a local woman and her three children.

The family was facing homelessness but did not meet the government’s threshold for imminent danger, because they were not under immediate threat of physical harm from another person, council was told.

“If somebody’s now just facing homelessness, that’s simply not enough,” Matthews said. “The new mandate is aimed at domestic violence. It [applies to] people who are in the threat of actual physical violence, like they could be killed by an intimate partner.”

The federal government, she noted, defines homelessness itself as a severe risk to life and therefore a form of imminent danger — a standard that differs markedly from how the province is now applying the term.

The shelter’s outreach program, staffed by two employees, currently supports 25 women and 33 children, and served 38 women and 51 children over the past year.

Matthews said this program is critical for preventing crises before they escalate to the point where emergency shelter is required, and warned that cutting it would place additional pressure on policing, health care and social services.

The province’s cuts come one year after the government announced a 10-year strategy to address gender-based violence and provided PCWESA with a one-time funding enhancement of $35,000.

“We actually considered broadening our scope to take vulnerable men, and now this year that plan is completely off the list,” she said.

Province, advocacy group at odds

The Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters has taken the issue to the highest level of the provincial government.

In a May 27 letter to Premier Danielle Smith, ACWS executive director Catherine Champagne and board president Sandy Vander Ziel asked the government to delay implementing the $970,000 in total funding cuts provincewide until the 2027-28 fiscal year. The letter was co-signed by Van Ee and representatives of eight other affected shelters.

The letter warned that without sufficient time to identify alternative revenue sources, the result would be immediate job losses and reductions to core services for women and children seeking safety.

As of June 22, the shelter had not received a response from the premier’s office.

At the local level, Matthews said the impact could be visible on Pincher Creek’s streets. An encampment already exists along Christie Mines Road and women and children turned away from the shelter could end up there.

“We will see more homelessness, more deaths, more crime, more people slipping into addiction,” she said. “It will impact local residents — they might not think it’s their problem now, but it will impact them somewhere.”

Council weighs its options

While the shelter’s primary request was for political advocacy rather than direct financial assistance, the question of whether the town should also contribute money emerged during council discussion.

Mayor Oliver acknowledged the importance of the shelter’s outreach work, describing early intervention as a practical investment in preventing far larger problems down the road.

He suggested one possible path forward would be for each of the six municipalities served by the shelter — Claresholm, Fort Macleod, Cardston, the MD of Pincher Creek, Pincher Creek and Crowsnest Pass — to consider contributing $10,000.

“If each community contributed $10,000, that would take care of the deficit,” Oliver said.

Under the town’s process, any financial contribution would require a formal motion brought before council and passed by a majority vote.

“The town could possibly donate $10,000 if it’s put on the agenda and moved by motion,” he said. “I’m only one person speaking, and seven people have to vote on it.”

Oliver also clarified that a town contribution would not be conditional on other municipalities agreeing to chip in. Whether or not other communities choose to contribute, Pincher Creek council could still decide independently to offer support.

The matter is expected back before council as a request for a decision in the future. Oliver acknowledged timing matters, given the shelter is already mid fiscal year and the $60,000 gap is immediate.

PCWESA plans to make similar presentations to other affected municipalities in the coming weeks.

Beyond financial support, the shelter’s central ask is political: that councils across the region lobby their MLA to reverse the funding cuts, and that they carry the issue forward at the fall municipal convention, where it could be raised more formally with the province.

Matthews said the shelter hopes the town’s backing — whatever form it takes — will signal to other communities that Pincher Creek takes the issue seriously.

“We just wanted council to be aware of what’s happening,” she said. “We would appreciate any funding, of course, but our biggest thing is just making sure that the shelter stays afloat.”

Emergency Family Violence Services Program, Family Violence, Family Violence Prevention, Gender-Based Violence, Homelessness, Municipal Funding, Operational Funding, Rural Shelters, Shelter Funding, Women’s Shelters

A group of people sit around a table, engaged in discussion

Residents, curling club weigh in on rink funding gap

Written on June 17, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government, Sports.

As the Pincher Creek Curling Club grapples with a funding shortfall for its new rink, some residents are questioning how the project was allowed to proceed without all funding in place.

Speaking before town council June 8, residents Shauna Sky Romano and Brian Boyce urged elected officials to examine the project’s financial planning and called for discussion about whether future recreation investments should involve greater collaboration between curling, hockey and figure skating organizations.

The concerns come ahead of a June 17 joint public input meeting with town and MD of Pincher Creek councils, where residents can weigh in on the future of the curling rink under construction since October 2025.

The club estimates it needs more than $1.8 million to complete the $5-million curling rink.

The town has already committed $1.25 million to the project and provided land on Chief Mountain Avenue at a nominal fee under a 20-year lease. MD council raised its contribution to $1 million in November 2025.

Residents raise concerns

Romano, a Pincher Creek-raised kinesiologist and high-performance coach who returned to the community two years ago, told town council her concerns date back to January 2025, when construction plans for the rink were nearly pushed through without public notice.

Within two weeks, Romano organized a petition signed by more than 500 residents opposing the original proposed location at Hole 7 of the golf course.

“When the location was changed, the petition was basically null and void,” she said, adding that photos of the signatures were sent to then-councillor Wayne Oliver to inform the relocation vote.

Romano was reluctant to submit names publicly because, she said, some residents feared repercussions for themselves, their relatives or friends employed by the town.

“Imagine my surprise when I find out a year later that they’re actually $1.8 million short with the building half built,” she said. “How could you start a building project like this without the funding in place?”

Romano also raised questions about conflict of interest, framing her concern as one of perceived bias rather than proven wrongdoing.

“A conflict of interest only needs the appearance of bias,” she said. “Even if someone is objective, if the situation reasonably looks biased to others, it can still be considered a conflict of interest, because trust is definitely affected.”

Beyond the immediate funding shortfall, Romano challenged council to reimagine recreation in Pincher Creek altogether, proposing a collaborative multi-sport complex that would bring curling, hockey and figure skating under one roof — sharing a single ice plant, custodian and engineer.

She pointed to similar facilities in other Alberta towns, noting families travelling to such venues generate significant economic activity for their host communities.

“I believe there are more grants and more private funding available when we collaborate and work together to build something for the greater good of all young families and athletes, not just curlers,” she said.

“I am not against curling in any way,” she said. “But I don’t think the town should be on the hook for that. Nobody wants to see another half-built building in this town.”

Concerns over taxpayer risk

Boyce told council that taxpayers should not be expected to assume additional financial risk for a project he believes moved forward before its funding strategy was fully secured.

“It’s astonishing that a project would start without the funding in place,” he said. “Why should taxpayers be on the hook for this kind of money when the curling club represents maybe two to three per cent of the population and wants to be autonomous?”

Boyce questioned whether the terms of the memorandum of understanding between the town and the club have been met, pointing to what he described as incomplete financial planning and uncertain repayment capacity.

“The Town of Pincher Creek is not a financial institution for the club to keep going back to,” he said, adding that lending money without a credible repayment plan would leave taxpayers responsible for the debt.

Curling club speaks out

In an email response, Pincher Creek Curling Club executive members say a range of options were weighed as the project took shape but grant timelines left little room to wait. Some funding the club secured — including its Community Facility Enhancement Program grant — carried deadlines and delaying construction could have put that money at risk.

The club knew fundraising would continue throughout the project and the shortfall built gradually as costs and commitments changed over time.

“The funding gap didn’t appear overnight — it became clearer as construction costs were finalized and some expected funding sources did not materialize at the level we had hoped,” the club says.

The executive says it understands concerns over repayment responsibility, writing:

“This project matters to the community and people want to know it is being managed responsibly. The curling club has never taken that responsibility lightly.

“Any borrowing undertaken by the club has always been viewed as part of a larger plan that includes continued fundraising, sponsorship opportunities, memberships, rentals, bonspiels, events and other revenue streams. Like any organization managing a major capital project, we continue to monitor and adjust our plans as needed.”

While the club is grateful for all forms of support, the executive says it remains a volunteer-run organization that is responsible for operating the facility and making decisions in the best interest of its members and community — viewing it as a partnership rather than a conflict.

The executive says “the club has worked hard to meet the commitments outlined in the MOU and to maintain a positive working relationship with the Town throughout this process,” and suggests questions about specific clauses or obligations are best answered by referring directly to the MOU and the records held by both parties.

The club views the facility as a home not only for its sport, but as a place that will serve schools, seniors, community groups, families, businesses and organizations looking for meeting or event space.

“Our vision has always been to create a year-round community facility that benefits as many people as possible, whether they ever throw a curling rock or not,” it says.

On Romano’s suggestion of a shared multisport complex, the club says its curling project has been years in the making, with extensive planning, fundraising, grant applications and approvals, and its focus is on finishing the facility.

“That doesn’t mean other recreation opportunities shouldn’t be explored in the future, but our responsibility right now is to see this project through.”

Council response

Oliver, who voted for the motion to relocate the rink from the golf course and has since become mayor, acknowledged receiving the petition photos but noted he has not seen the full petition.

He said the promised public open house was never held because the location change had quieted community opposition at the time.

“With the new location, it just seemed like people lost interest because they got their wish,” he said, adding that uncertainty over who should host the session — the town or the club — also contributed to the delay.

In response to Romano’s suggestion that some councillors should have stepped aside from past votes on the project, Coun. Sahra Nodge said that under the Municipal Government Act, councillors may only recuse themselves from a vote when they stand to receive direct financial gain.

“Unless any of us are pouring the concrete tomorrow,” Nodge said, “the act does not give council leeway to recuse based on perceived bias alone.”

The joint public input session is scheduled for Wednesday, June 17, at the MD administration building in Pincher Creek. Both town and MD councils will attend, along with representatives from the curling club.

Community Facility Enhancement Program, Conflict of Interest, Curling Rink, Fundraising, Memorandum of Understanding, Municipal Funding, public engagement, Recreation Infrastructure, Taxpayer Risk

Organization: Town of Pincher Creek

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