Youth Art Contest Winners

Winners in the 2018 Municipal Government Day Youth Art Contest were presented by sponsors at Council.

The contest allowed Grande Prairie's young artists to demonstrate their talents in three grade categories – Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 3, Grades 4-9 and Grades 10-12 – by matching this year's theme.

About 50 entries were submitted. The theme this year was Grande Prairie – 60 years strong, recognizing that 2018 marks 60 years since Grande Prairie became a City.

The Grand Prize winner of an iPad, sponsored by Tundra Process Solutions, is Grade 5 student Chaney Tidd.

Brandt Tractor sponsored the top prize in each Grade Category – these students receive a bike, helmet and backpack filled with accessories, including gloves, lock, water bottle, lights, and bells:

• Eunice Ferrer in the Pre-K to Grade 3 category
• Janet Giesbrecht in the Grade 4-9 category
• Megan Stashko in the Grade 10-12 group

Eastlink Centre sponsored the second and third place prizes in each category. Second place winners receive a one-month unlimited pass to the Eastlink Centre. Third place recipient were awarded a three-visit pass to the Eastlink Centre.

In the Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 3 Grade Category,

• Ryleigh Boechler received the second place prize and
• Aiden Iles finished third

Elizaveta Berenchik received second place in the Grade 4-9 category

Third place winner in this group was Acadia Smith-Salter, who was unable to attend the presentations.

In photo, from left, are Megan Stashko, Aiden Iles, Janet Giesbrecht, Chaney Tidd, Eunice Ferrer, Ryleigh Boechler, and Elaveta Berinchik.

Winning art work submissions will be featured on the City's website soon.

Heartland Petrochemical Complex

Council received an update from Karen Vasquez, Stakeholder Relations Advisor, at Inter Pipeline on the Heartland Petrochemical Complex.

The Heartland Petrochemical Complex is being designed to convert locally sourced, low-cost propane into 525,000 tonnes per year of polypropylene, a high value, easy to transport plastic used in the manufacturing of a wide range of finished products.

Consisting of a propane dehydrogenation (PDH) and a polypropylene (PP) facility, the Heartland Petrochemical Complex is expected to cost approximately $3.5 billion and will be located in Strathcona County, Alberta near Inter Pipeline's existing Redwater Olefinic Fractionator.

Construction of the Heartland Petrochemical Complex is in progress with completion scheduled for late 2021.

Information sessions will be held in impacted communities along transportation routes, including Grande Prairie.

Cannabis Legalization Bylaw Amendments

Council passed Bylaw C1260-94, an amendment to the Land Use Bylaw, Bylaw 1064H, an amendment to the Business License Bylaw, Bylaw C1278B, an amendment to the Smoke Free Playgrounds and Athletics Field Bylaw, and Bylaw C-1293A, an amendment to the Minimum Property Standards Bylaw.

In passing these bylaws, some adjustments were made, including increasing the number of retailers to received licences to sell cannabis in year one to 15 from 10. Council also set midnight as the latest a cannabis can remain open. In some land use districts this could be made earlier.

The number of business licenses for cannabis retail outlets will be limited to one per entity in year one.

The development officer will be the development authority regarding applications in the Central Commercial, General Commercial and Arterial Commercial districts. The Infrastructure and Protective Services Committee will remain the Development Authority in the Local Commercial and the Commercial Transition districts.

Combative Sports Commission New Board Members

Council appointed Don Mpunga and Rory Tarant to the Combative Sports Commission as replacements for members who've departed the community for employment in other communities. Their terms will end December 31, 2020.

Aquatera Board Appointments

Council endorsed three appointments to the Aquatera Board:

• Andy Fraser (three year term – to 2021)
• Rob Mackin (three year term – to 2021)
• Lionel Laflamme (one year term – to 2019)