Town of Innisfail Mayor Jean Barclay (Supplied)

By Alessia Proietti

"keep moving forward"

Year in Review: Innisfail Mayor Jean Barclay says positivity is key when looking at 2022

Dec 27, 2022 | 9:00 AM

“Always have a positive outlook and have that can-do attitude,” said Innisfail Mayor Jean Barclay about what she learned in 2022.

“There’s always something going on, but you always have to keep moving forward.”

It was this attitude, she says, that enabled the Town to complete over $7 million worth of capital projects, including improvements to services and sidewalks, putting up a new sound wall along the QEII, opening 50 acres of industrial park, and building an accessible playground and NHL-sized outdoor skating rink.

Her favourite project, she says, has been the refurbishment of the heliport at the Innisfail Health Centre, which was required to halt operations in 2020 following a risk assessment to determine safety levels.

“It’s great to see it back across from the hospital because we know how important it is when somebody needs STARS [Air Ambulance]; they need it as soon as possible and it just gives patients much better outcomes,” she said.

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The beginning of the year, said Mayor Barclay, started off rocky with pandemic uncertainty and restrictions. However, she says the community came through in a positive way.

“We had so many events and festivals this year and such great crowds out at them all year long so there’s a really good vibe in the community and I know that will carry forward to 2023,” she said.

“On Canada Day, our Rotary Club was serving the pancake breakfast that day and I think we had around 800 people come out which was probably 300 more than normal. That was an indication of how excited people were to get back out again and get back to somewhat more of a normal lifestyle than what we had been used to the last two years.”

While 2023 will include only $4 million worth of capital projects, Barclay is particularly excited about a waste-to-energy project with Varme Energy, a company headquartered in Edmonton but owned by Norway’s Green Transition Holding. She says a letter of intent has been signed for the net-zero facility that consists of converting solid waste to energy like heat or electricity and includes a carbon capture component. As the Town does not have enough waste to fulfill the need on their own, the mayor says she hopes to build relationships with nearby communities to work towards the goal of eliminating landfills.

RELATED: Innisfail residents invited to session on potential waste-to-energy project

While financially challenging times loom ahead globally, Barclay says a solutions-oriented attitude must be top-of-mind.

“I think Alberta, as a whole, holds so much promise. I saw migration numbers today and Alberta was very strong with people migrating to this province and it’s, all in all, compared to B.C. and Ontario, a very affordable place to live and I think there’s going to be lots of economic opportunity going forward,” she said.

Innisfail’s most recent budget passed a four per cent property tax increase adding up to roughly $8 extra on monthly bills of an average home valued at $320,000. Barclay said the Town can’t be at a standstill during these times as the community deserves certain levels of community services like recreational facilities and parks and trails systems.

RELATED: Innisfail council approves operating and capital budgets with 4 per cent tax rate increase

“Think about how you can move the community forward and deliver and improve people’s quality of life; that’s what it’s all about,” she said. “I just hope we all get out there and we can support local and help people that are struggling and give them a hand up.”