The new Innisfail town council at their swearing-in ceremony this week. (Supplied)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

housing, economic development, recreation

Innisfail Mayor Jean Barclay hopes to keep town’s momentum going

Oct 29, 2025 | 5:06 PM

Newly re-elected mayor of Innisfail, Jean Barclay, says the next four years are about keeping the town’s momentum going.

In an interview with rdnewsNOW, the now third-term council member says that momentum has a lot do with housing, where there’s plenty of work to do.

“Currently, there’s a 61-lot subdivision the town is developing, and we did presale on those a few months ago, which were quite successful. We’re looking forward to getting started with some construction hopefully before the years is out,” she shared.

“Of course, we’re always interested in business retention and expansion, but also attraction with what we’re seeing with some new businesses.”

She also notes Deep Sky and the huge boost it’s given Innisfail as far as global attention.

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The carbon capture facility is currently in the process of relocating, Barclay says, to a larger location in town.

With the housing, there are a mix of townhomes, duplexes and single-family homes, plus 22 commercial and multi-unit residential sites.

“Our housing strategy is to build more across the spectrum. We’ve been missing the duplexes and townhomes that are more affordable. We’re hoping that attracts more young people,” says Barclay, asked if Innisfail would like to keep up with younger municipalities like Penhold (median age 34.4) and Blackfalds (median age 31.8).

Re-elected Councillor Janice Wing with re-elected Mayor Jean Barclay at the new council’s swearing-in ceremony this week. (Supplied)

Those numbers are from the 2021 federal census, which show Innisfail’s median age that year was 46.0.

In further comparison, Red Deer was at 38.8 in 2021, while other smaller municipalities like Sylvan Lake and Lacombe had a 2021 median age of 36.0 and 39.6, respectively.

“Certainly employers in town are telling us they need housing for employees, so it’s just a matter of continuing to build that out. That’s one part of it, there’s a lot more work to do,” Mayor Barclay says.

“It will be for council to decide, but I’d like us to keep focusing on housing, economic development, recreation, and that includes parks and trails.”

The town has applied for a grant to extend the trail along Hwy 54, and administration is always on the lookout for grant opportunities.

Barclay says the town also needs to find money for aging rec facilities such as the 1993-built ice rink, but she also hopes the provincial government will make some changes to who can actually apply for certain recreation grants.

The local aquatic centre, built in 1987, is also undergoing a modernization, which she anticipates being completed smoothly.

Barclay says her council, comprised of Jason Heistad, Janice Wing, plus four newcomers in Shawn Russell, Donnie Hill, Lyle McKellar and Chris Strong, is a diverse group as far as backgrounds, with experience in business, government, and dealing with large budgets.

The budgeting expertise will definitely be important given rising costs.

Barclay shared that in 2023, the cost for one linear metre of water, wastewater, and asphalt replacement cost $2,000. In 2024, that had risen to $2,900.

It’s difficult to balance everything, she added.

“It’s always an honour to be re-elected,” she concluded. “I think it shows confidence from the community that they have in me and of course the work all of council did the last term. It’s never about just one person.”