Red Deer city council passes motion to negotiate with province on Highway 2 widening project

Work with the province to ensure that appropriate environmental mitigation, remediation, and restoration measures are implemented for all project impacts to the park system, including during construction and following completion of the project, with the objective of restoring disturbed areas and replacing lost trees, wetlands, wildlife habitat, corridors, and other ecological features as appropriate.
Enter into negotiations with the province for compensation, replacement assets, or infrastructure improvements that fairly reflect the loss or impairment of parkland and the related environmental, recreational, social, and long-term community value of the affected land.
Have a closed agenda item added to a council meeting by the end of September to set a mandate for negotiations for compensation with the province of Alberta.
Direct the Office of the Mayor and Council to arrange a meeting for the Mayor with the Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen, during August 2026.

The project, which was proposed by the Alberta Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors, focuses on a 4.2-kilometre portion of Highway 2 near Red Deer that stretches from 32 Street to 67 Street (Hwy 11).

This section of the project will see the highway widened from four to eight lanes and the replacement of the Red Deer River bridges.

The widening of the highway is set to impact 7.5 hectares or 18 acres of Maskepetoon Park and 2.6 hectares of Heritage Ranch.

Krahn said this project is a priority for the government and that every time the Ministry held a public information session, he would receive calls from citizens who are concerned about the safety of the highway.

“This is the most dangerous section. I’ve known people who’ve lived in Sylvan Lake and work in Red Deer and will drive through the city in the wintertime because this curve is really dangerous,” Krahn said.

He introduced the motion, he said, in hopes of finding a balance in safety and environmental concerns, while directing administration that if the project does go forward, to work with the province.

“[I hope] we find a way to get to a win-win. I don’t know if we know what that looks like yet, but I think we have to come to the table and give it our absolute best shot for the community and what our city deserves,” Krahn added.

Following an open house that was held in Red Deer last month by the Ministry, City Manager Tara Lodewyk said the city has yet to hear from the province regarding what they’ve learned from citizens.

One of the concerns raised by citizens was a lack of engagement with local Indigenous communities. Lodewyk explained administration is in the middle of preparing a list of Indigenous contacts to give to the province and encourage consultation.

Other concerns include safety, losing a portion of Red Deer’s Maskepetoon Park, as well as increased noise, pollution, and vehicle congestion, among other things.

If the city and the province can’t come to an agreement on the land or if the city chooses not to negotiate, Lodewyk explained the Ministry could file an expropriation application, which would then be heard by a tribunal.

She said this happens when two parties can’t agree on a settlement and, in her experience, doesn’t result in a win-win situation.

“It is always our last choice to do an expropriation process because often what happens is the parties end up in a poor relationship, and it takes a lot of time as well as it doesn’t consider some of the other factors that we often want to have in a negotiation,” she said.

“In my experience, we often get a judgement from the tribunal, and that judgement can go in our favour or often times it doesn’t. It’s much better to negotiate than lose your decision-making or influence.”

Currently, the province is in the design portion of the project, which is anticipated to conclude in 2027. A date for construction to begin has not yet been set.

Lodewyk wanted to reassure citizens that all comments received have been heard loud and clear. She added that when it comes to the Municipal Government Act, if the city were to go through the process of selling land like Maskepetoon Park, the city is required to advertise that and may be required to hold a public hearing.

This means the public may still be able to raise their concerns once again before it becomes final.

Mayor Cindy Jefferies said in this situation they’re between a rock and a hard place and is not a position she appreciates being in.

She expressed frustration with the province over their position that they’ve allegedly already made up their mind.

“I look forward to future conversations starting with the Minister on where some of that can go,” she said.

“We know that wildlife and nature are an important part of that area. We want safety for all, and right now the situation is not safe for some people and certainly not the wildlife along that corridor.

“The province has indicated very strongly that they’re going to go ahead and do what they want to do. If we just sit by and wait, we’ll have no voice. I believe that is the case.”

She said she hasn’t given up on having those conversations and believes it’s important to get fair compensation and remember the importance of the environment and what they could potentially be giving up.

“Depending on where we land, in my mind we should be in a position to negotiate park for park if that’s what it comes to and not put it into something else like a wastewater treatment upgrade. It should stick within the parks system and be connected to our trail system,” Jefferies said.

“In my mind, Maskepetoon Park is a significant asset in the community, so we shouldn’t just get a few hundred thousand dollars here or there to do upgrades on little pieces of park. It should be a visible, tangible asset that’s gained through any negotiation that might take place.”

by Ian Gustafson

Red Deer city council passes motion to negotiate with province on Highway 2 widening project

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