Sherwood Park Minute: Issue 110

Sherwood Park Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Sherwood Park politics

📅 This Week In Sherwood Park: 📅

• Council has unanimously approved the 2026-27 RCMP policing priorities following the largest public consultation on policing the County has conducted in five years, drawing 1,295 respondents. The approved priorities include a 25% increase in impaired driving enforcement targets, additional checkstops, new tracking of commercial vehicle inspections, and expanded proactive patrols focused on property crime. The consultation and approval process also marked the first time a civilian Municipal Policing Committee - established under recent amendments to Alberta's Police Act - provided formal oversight of the priorities. 
  
  
• Strathcona County’s ambulance services are facing uncertainty as the Province prepares to restructure funding for integrated firefighter-paramedic models ahead of a contract expiry in September. Provincial officials have reduced financial support to municipalities that operate combined fire and EMS services, leaving local governments to decide whether to absorb higher costs or risk losing their current service model. Union representatives argue the proposed changes could weaken emergency response by opening the door to lower-cost providers that may not offer the same level of equipment or advanced life support care. In 2025, local crews responded to more than 13,000 EMS calls, with high reported patient satisfaction. Municipal leaders say they are still reviewing the implications of the funding shift and what it could mean for public safety. A final decision on EMS contract options is expected at a Council vote later in May.
  
  
• Strathcona County will be sending out its annual property tax notices in mid-May. The 2026 budget includes a 4.88% tax increase, which the County says is needed to maintain services, support growth, and fund long-term capital priorities. Officials note that a portion of the increase is directed toward operational needs, while the rest is allocated to infrastructure and future planning. County leadership says the budget reflects a balance between keeping taxes manageable and ensuring service levels are maintained. Property taxes will be due at the end of June.
  
  
• A newly formed community group called the Strathcona County Housing Rights Action Group has found that the County has no emergency shelter beds, no after-hours outreach services, and no 24-hour warming or cooling spaces available to residents in crisis. The group's findings drew significant attention when a small pilot project to begin addressing the gap came before Council - and was initially voted down. Within days, public backlash on social media prompted Council to reverse its position and approve the pilot. The episode has raised questions about whether the reversal reflected new information or simply political pressure. In the meantime, the Housing Rights Action Group has been filling service gaps through private fundraising and volunteer effort.
  
  
• Strathcona County is seeking input from residents, including households and students in Grades 7 to 12, to help guide recreation and culture planning over the next four years through an online survey open until May 22nd. Since its last update in 2023, the County has spend money on several projects, such as a new agricultural event centre, a youth art gallery, a regional pedestrian bridge, and expanded outdoor amenities like trails and playgrounds. Community organizations involved in delivering recreation and cultural programming are also being asked to contribute feedback. Participants in the survey can enter to win gift cards as an incentive. The collected feedback will be reviewed alongside existing data and policies to inform the next phase of the County’s Recreation and Culture Strategy.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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