Red Deer mayor brings home energy initiative ideas after attending national conference

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For Mayor Johnston, it was his eighth FCM annual conference and first ever as mayor. Also representing Red Deer were Interim City Manager Tara Lodewyk and councillors Cindy Jefferies, Lawrence Lee and Dianne Wyntjes, each visiting different sessions.

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Mayor Johnston said the main goal was to focus on the three key topics he emphasized when running for his position in October: energy and its economic development, affordable housing, and diversity and inclusion.

Having toured multiple landfills and waste facilities across the country, he said Regina has been capturing and converting methane gas into energy by boring into landfill waste. Sold to SaskPower, the provincial electrical grid, over the past few years, the renewable energy has powered thousands of homes, and the initiative continues to grow in the city.

Red Deer Mayor Ken Johnston with Blackfalds Mayor Jamie Hoover touring Regina landfill converting methane into energy. (Supplied)

Mayor Johnston confirmed that a company has had similar interests in Red Deer to discuss waste energy initiatives and will be meeting with them in the upcoming weeks.

The mayor did say, however, that Red Deer attended the conference with some of their own achievements when it came to their waste diversion rate. The calculation measures the portion of waste not sent to landfills through composting, recycling, and more.

“Red Deer’s diversion percentage is just over 40 per cent and at this point in time, Regina’s is about 20 per cent. So we can certainly hold our heads up as it related to the way we’ve been using our cart program,” said Mayor Johnston.

Other highlights for the mayor were networking with leaders from cities similar in size to Red Deer’s population of roughly 100,000, including Peterborough, Ontario; Cambridge, Ontario; St. John’s, New Brunswick; and Regina.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, among other federal Members of Parliament and guest speakers presented at the event. The 2023 Annual FCM Conference will be held in Toronto.