(Image Credit: Background: Google Maps; Top inset: City of Lacombe)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

feds must re-evaluate, says mayor

Podcast: Lacombe Mayor Thalia Hibbs addresses closure of Research and Development Centre

Jan 30, 2026 | 6:01 AM

This week on episode 58 The Everything Red Deer Podcast, host and rdnewsNOW reporter Josh Hall interviews Lacombe Mayor Thalia Hibbs about the announcement this week that the 119-year-old Lacombe Research and Development Centre will close, killing more than 100 local jobs.

Josh and Thalia discuss Lacombe city council’s newly formed taskforce on this matter, the greater impact on agricultural science and the community of Lacombe, and what her message would be to the federal government.

For our previous coverage on this story, click here and here. 

As noted in the episode and a previous story, thoughts about this decision can be sent to the federal minister of agriculture and agrifood by emailing aafc.minister-ministre.aac@agr.gc.ca.

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