(Red Deer Regional Airport)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

BUDGET 2020: a wing up

Operating Budget 2020: Airport funding bumped up

Jan 9, 2020 | 5:31 PM

Red Deer Regional Airport will receive at least $425,000 from the City of Red Deer in 2020.

During Operating Budget debate on Thursday, city council approved an additional $170,000 for the airport this year. They had already committed to $255,000 in 2020 as part of a three-year plan approved in 2018.

The funding is contingent on a matching contribution from Red Deer County.

City Manager Allan Seabrooke says their contribution is rooted in two factors: increased safety regulations imposed by the federal government, and an increase in traffic at the airport from approximately 40,000 movements in 2018 to 80,000 in 2019.

“The reason the City has been funding the airport over many years is to support the economic developments (there). Regional airports create business investment in the aviation industry, and they create jobs,” says Seabrooke.

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“When you speak of regional airports, passenger service is not the key focus,” he adds, saying RDRA bringing onboard an ultra low-cost carrier would be a bonus. “What’s important for the City is that whatever our investments are going to be, we know it is tied to a medium and long-term strategy.”

An additional $350,000 in one-time capital funding for airport enhancements is to be reviewed later this year.

Seabrooke explains that money would be go to help with the preparation of architectural drawings and engineering ahead of the airport making some of its prospective investments.

He said they are optimistic about the airport’s progress.

“As we move forward, we are pleased that they do have a strategic plan in place; we just really want more details from the board and CEO as to exactly where they’re headed,” Seabrooke says, “We are aware that there have been inquiries at the airport for future business opportunities there, and we’re optimistic that with the City’s and County’s support, those funds can go a long way.”

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BUDGET BRIEFS

Cleaning up the community

The City of Red Deer will maintain its budget for the clean-up of rough sleeper camps and debris clean-up.

The City began spending to clean up camps in 2018 with $200,000. That budget doubled in 2019, and will once again be about $400,000 for 2020.

A portion of that money also goes specifically towards debris clean-up. Last year, the province pitched in $80,000, and added $40,000 to get the City through the end of March 2020.

Last year, the City contracted the Downtown Business Association’s ‘Clean Team’ to do debris clean-up.

Council noted its continued advocacy to the province for permanent shelter funding, adding that they’ve provided the provincial government with ‘considerable data’ backing up the city’s need.

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The fight against crime

The Central Alberta Crime Prevention Centre will get another $162,522 from the City of Red Deer in 2020.

The amount is a 1.5 per cent increase from last year; the City’s grant to the CACPC starting at $143,000 in 2014.

The funding was approved to assist the organization with its goal of becoming more financially sustainable.

Among other things in 2019, the CACPC played a big role in the launch of the City’s voluntary bike registry (529 Garage), and continued efforts to educate the public on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).

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Property tax increase

When Operating Budget 2020 deliberations began, the projected property tax increase sat at 2.48 per cent.

Two days later, that number is down to 2.35 per cent.

Operating Budget debate resumes Friday at 12 p.m. at City Hall.