Fort Macleod police training centre

Another example of why Alberta is in trouble financially.


Fort Macleod gets $10M for loss of police college

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2013/01/10/calgary-macleod-college.html

Alberta is booming, 2011 Census results released today.

Well almost all of Alberta is booming with a population growth of 10.8% or in real number’s almost 355,000 new residents came to our province during the last five years.


The province is growing in leaps and bounds with the exception of this little corner down here in the South West the Crowsnest Pass actually was one of only four municipalities in Alberta with a population of greater than 5000 that actually shrank, yes our population dropped by 184 people (3.2%).

How will this affect the community?

Right in the pocket book most provincial or federal grants are based on population. My last year on council we were getting roughly $1400 in grants for each resident a drop of 184 based on that same amount would impact the community to the tune of $258,000 per year.

The other problem with this information is that you are stuck with these numbers for five years until the next census.

How did we compare to our neighbours?

Pincher Creek grew by 60 residents or 1.7%

Fort Macleod grew by 45 residents or 1.5%

Cowley grew by 17 residents or 7.8%

Sparwood grew by 49 residents or 1.4%

Elkford grew by 60 residents or 2.4%

Fernie grew by 231 residents or 5.5%

We must keep in mind that this census was conducted last spring so these numbers are very current and would reflect a lot of the hiring that the mines have done over the last two years.

Surprise Surprise Development in the Crowsnest Pass

I use the word surprise for two reasons:

First of all Bridgecreek is going (gone into) receivership according to a very good source "The Pass Herald" see their front page story this week at the address below.

Second the article in the Herald states that former Councilors Ward, Cole, Salus, and Macleod made the right decisions regarding the municipalities involvement with this group. WOW

http://www.passherald.ca/index1.htm

Does anybody know anything about this new CEO Jon Mintoft?


More to follow on this story

Cost of utilities in the Crowsnest Pass

I ran this back in Febuary now we are getting close to the election I thought I would run it again to compare our rates to other Southern Alberta communities.

Cost of living in the Crowsnest Pass, really to compare taxes to other communities is comparing “apples to oranges” which I have been so wisely told by a number of my readers, what we can compare though and have a fairly accurate comparison is our cost of utilities, those being: water, sewer, storm water, garbage and recycling.
Anyway I have comparisons from eight other rural communities in Southern Alberta.

Crowsnest Pass

Water $23.00
Sewer $16.05
Storm Water $0
Garbage $17.82
Recycling $2.50
Total of $59.37 per month

Pincher Creek

Water $61.32 (No meter)
Sewer $16.06
Storm Water $0
Garbage $18.35
Recycling $3.58
Total of $99.31 per month

Ft Macleod

Water $37.87 (plus meter)
Sewer $23.40
Storm Water $0
Garbage $13.35
Recycling $0
Total of $74.62 per month (plus water meter charges)

Coaldale

Water $19.32 (plus meter)
Sewer $12.98
Storm Water $4.95
Garbage $19.44
Recycling $2.49
Total of $59.18 per month (plus water meter charges)

Raymond

Water $15.00 (plus meter)
Sewer $12.50
Storm Water $0
Garbage $20.00
Recycling $0
Total of $47.50 per month (plus water meter charges)

Claresholm

Water $30.00 (plus meter)
Sewer $10.90
Storm Water $0
Garbage $9.80
Recycling $0
Total of $50.70 per month (plus water meter charges)

Nanton

Water $12.65 (plus meter)
Sewer $18.90
Storm Water $0
Garbage $7.35
Recycling $0
Total of $38.90 per month (plus water meter charges)

Taber

Water $24.81 (plus meter)
Sewer $26.56
Storm Water $6.33
Garbage $16.65
Recycling $2.04
Total of $76.39 per month (plus water meter charges)

Coalhurst

Water $34.60 (plus meter)
Sewer $19.92
Storm Water $0
Garbage $13.34
Recycling $0
Total of $67.86 per month (plus water meter charges)

What struck me has a little surprising was almost every community I looked at has water meters in place.