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By Ashley Lavallee-Koenig

PASSES 8-1

City council reintroduces Indigenous Cultural Centre funding to Red Deer’s 2025 Capital Budget

Apr 23, 2025 | 11:53 AM

During its regular meeting on Apr. 22, Red Deer’s city council re-affirmed its commitment to building an Indigenous Cultural Centre by amending the 2025 Capital Budget and 10 Year Capital Plan to allocate funding to the initiative.

During Budget 2025 debate in November, in an effort to address the financial pressures faced by the city, most capital projects that weren’t directly connected to maintaining infrastructure were removed from the budget.

While the Indigenous Cultural Centre was one of these projects, work continued with the community with the goal of adding it back into the budget once a better sense of timelines and certainty was achieved.

“I’m happy to report that momentum is going really well, and the group has been coming together on a regular basis and there’s been great progress,” commented City Manager Tara Lodewyk.

Now that momentum is building on the project, administration requested that city council allocate $50,000 in the 2025 Capital Budget, to be funded from the Capital Projects Reserve, and identify $250,000 in the plan for 2026 and $4 million for 2027.

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The initial $50,000 is intended for planning and public consultation, which is underway. Otherwise, administration communicated that the amounts proposed signify a commitment to the project and could change as it moves forward and more information is obtained.

The resolution passed 8-1, with Councillor Kraymer Barnstable in opposition.

“I’m not trying to take away the importance of what this facility is, I’m not trying to take away the need for it. If we were to look at our capital projects list of what are the next big things we are going to build, I would assume this would be number one if not in the top three,” said Barnstable, “but I’m struggling with voting for it specifically on the financial position of the city.”

While funding is indicated in 2026 and 2027 capital budgets, it will ultimately be up to the council of that time to debate and officially approve the funding.