By Alessia Proietti

Policing and Ambulance Services

Four Red Deer city councillors head to Alberta Municipalities spring conference this week

Mar 9, 2022 | 9:07 AM

Almost half of Red Deer city council members will be making their way to Edmonton Wednesday to discuss policing and emergency medical services at the Alberta Municipalities’ (AM) conference.

At the Edmonton Convention Centre from Mar. 9-10, the AM will be hosting their 2022 Spring Municipal Leaders’ Caucus (MLC).

Over 300 municipal leaders from across the province will be discussing pressing issues such as the potential creation of an Alberta Provincial Police Service (APPS), ongoing challenges with the provincial Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system, and the future and financial health of municipal governments.

From Red Deer, Councillors Dianne Wyntjes, Vesna Higham, Cindy Jefferies, and Lawrence Lee will be present.

Apart from looking at provincial funding rather than a municipal reliance on tax dollars, Councillor Wyntjes is also eager to discuss the topic of EMS with Darren Sandbeck, Chief Paramedic with Alberta Health Services EMS, who will be providing an update on the province’s 10-point plan to improve pressures on ambulance service.

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In January, the government of Alberta established an EMS Provincial Advisory Committee for recommendations to improve the system. A pilot project was set to be rolled out in Red Deer to manage patient transfers between facilities with designated units, freeing up ambulances to handle emergency calls as a result. From the City, Fire Chief and Chief of Emergency Services Ken McMullen was chosen as part of the committee.

“That’s the challenge that we often hear from our paramedics: that they have to wait in the hospital before you can turn the patient over,” said Councillor Wyntjes.

For Councillor Jefferies, the topic of policing is of particular importance, as the AM is set to put together a position at the conference on the proposal.

“We think our community is underserved and poorly served in the current situation and so we want to advocate strong for that,” she said. “If we can have a voice in shaping what those services look like, both police and ambulance dispatch and ambulance services in the province going forward, I think it will be time well spent.”

Both councillors agreed that the conference will be a good opportunity for council to learn from and network with other municipalities, especially since this is the first in-person spring conference since 2019.

“It’s important for Red Deer to keep relationships growing and establish new relationships,” said Councillor Jefferies.

The agenda for the spring caucus is made up of Requests For Decision (RFD) topics, brought forward by municipalities in a more informal process. RFDs are intended for emerging issues that cannot wait to be debated at the fall Convention during the resolutions session.

Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver and several provincial cabinet ministers will address MLC participants on the morning of March 9. Premier Jason Kenney and Opposition Leader Rachel Notley will speak to members on the morning of March 10.

The schedule is as follows:

• Wednesday, March 9 (9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.):
  • 9:15 a.m.: Municipal Affairs Minister’s address
  • 9:30 to 11 a.m.: Ministers’ Dialogue Sessions
  • 1 to 2:45 p.m.: Education Session I – APPS
  • 3:15 to 4:15 p.m.: Education Session II – EMS
• Thursday, March 10 (8 a.m. to 12 p.m.):
  • 8 to 9:15 a.m.: Education Session III – Municipal Financial Health
  • 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.: Premier Jason Kenney’s address;
  • 10:15 to 11:15 a.m.: Education Session IV – Future of Municipal Government
  • 11:30 to 11:45 a.m.: Opposition Leader Rachel Notley’s address –
  • 11:45 a.m.: Closing remarks