(Image Credit: rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Ian Gustafson

Annual review

City council approves amendments to relationship framework with Westerner Exhibition Association

Jan 27, 2026 | 3:11 PM

Red Deer city council unanimously approved to amend the relationship framework agreement with the Westerner Exhibition Association.

This comes after city council considered a report from the city manager, Tara Lodewyk, on the Westerner Exhibition Association relationship framework agreement annual review on Tuesday.

During the regular council meeting, council amended the agreement by extending the term from Oct. 13, 2026, to March 31, 2027.

They also approved the following amendments in principle:

• The RFA has a term of five years and, as per s.5, will expire on October 13, 2026. Extending the term of the RFA to March 31, 2027, will align the expiry of the RFA with the end of the three-year financial plan.
• Section 30 allows the city manager, at their discretion, to provide the WEA with short-term access to city expertise in areas such as purchasing, communications, financial services, and board governance. The WEA is required to track and record all such support as a value-in-kind contribution. Given the volume of such support and its associated tracking, changing this to only require tracking for major projects or significant initiatives that the city provided support on will create efficiency, allow for a better use of WEA resources and lessen their administrative burden.
• Section 37 of the RFA requires the city liaison (a non-voting role) to ensure that the programs and services delivered through the WEA Board continue to be aligned with the city’s overall strategic directions. It is proposed to replace this section with wording that reflects the city liaison will share information with the board when there is not alignment with council’s strategic direction.
• The WEA recognizes the City as a major funder. As part of this recognition, subsection 56(a)(ii) allows for a percentage of unsold event tickets to be donated to the city/community organizations for distribution to the public at a reduced cost, or at no cost. Changing this to a portion of unsold WEA-produced event tickets. WEA does not have the ability, without incurring costs, to do this for the events they do not produce. They have been providing tickets, if available, for the events that WEA produces. The RFA should align with practice.
• Section 67 of the RFA requires the City to inspect the condition and state of the repairs of the amenities on a regular basis. Removing the requirement for regular inspections provides the City with discretion, which allows for a more responsible use of City resources while still maintaining the right to inspect.

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