Sherwood Park Minute: Issue 62

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

📅 This Week In Sherwood Park: 📅

• There will be a meeting of the Priorities Committee at 9:00 am on Tuesday. The Committee will receive a report on the 2025 Service Level Initiative to Reduce Frequency of Utility Bills. Strathcona County Utilities initially planned to reduce utility billing frequency from monthly to every other month starting in 2025, aiming to save around $100,000 annually in paper and postage costs. However, after further review, Utilities now recommends maintaining monthly billing due to the complexity of implementing such changes mid-year and the challenges of reconfiguring the billing system. While the transition to smart meters is ongoing, most accounts still require estimated reads, which are now more manageable thanks to system improvements. Currently, only 36% of accounts have switched to e-billing, leaving about 22,000 paper bills produced monthly at a cost of roughly $400,000 per year. Utilities is considering introducing a paper bill fee in the 2026 budget to recover costs and encourage more users to switch to e-billing. The 2025 budget will remain unchanged, and Utilities will continue exploring cost-saving and efficiency measures.
  
  
• The Committee will also receive an annual update on the Waste Management Roadmap. Now in its third year, the Roadmap is a 10-year plan designed to reduce landfill use and move the community toward a circular economy. As of April 1st, 2025, the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program was implemented, covering hazardous, single-use, and packaging waste, and is expected to save households up to $3.75 per month. A commercial pilot project involving 16 businesses has diverted 158 tonnes of food waste in 12 months, avoiding 6,418 tonnes of CO2 emissions. In 2024, overall residential waste to landfill decreased by 1%, and recycling and composting helped reduce emissions by 13,724 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Outreach reached over 2,000 students through school tours and presentations, while special events like a textile collection diverted 8,640 kg of material. Plans for 2025 include relocating brush and yard waste services, expanding parking at HodgePodge Lodge, and launching an Agricultural Wastes Roundup in November. About 36% of households (12,600 out of 34,600) are now signed up for e-billing, contributing to reduced paper use. The County is also preparing for Phase II of the EPR rollout and developing bylaws for multi-family and commercial waste programs, with full implementation targeted for Q3/Q4 2026.
  
  
• Finally, the Committee will receive a presentation from Volunteer Strathcona highlighting its 2024 impact. As the only organization in the County solely focused on volunteerism, Volunteer Strathcona connects residents with opportunities to support local groups and neighbours. In 2024, these efforts delivered an estimated $353,000 in value to the community. Programs like LawnBusters, SnowBusters, We Care We Share, and volunteer-run tax filing saved residents and organizations over $60,000. At least 162 new or reactivated volunteers contributed an estimated 19,500 hours - equivalent to over $291,000 at minimum wage. The organization supported 108 community groups and interacted with thousands of residents through events, newsletters, social media, and office referrals. Notably, 135 people received help with taxes, while 77 seniors and residents with disabilities got help staying in their homes. Looking ahead, Volunteer Strathcona will celebrate 50 years of service with a special anniversary event on September 27th, 2026.
  
  
• Varme Energy’s waste-to-energy facility in northern Strathcona County has cleared a major hurdle, receiving approval from the Alberta Utilities Commission. The plant will be Canada’s first large-scale waste-to-energy site with integrated carbon capture and storage. It will process more than 200,000 tonnes of waste per year, largely from Edmonton, to produce electricity and cut landfill use. CEO Sean Collins expects a final investment decision by the end of 2025, with construction beginning in 2026. The facility aims to operate by late 2028 and create 25 to 30 permanent jobs, alongside hundreds of construction roles. Mayor Rod Frank praised the project for aligning with the County’s goals on sustainability and innovation. The plant is expected to capture over 1 million tonnes of CO2 during its life, with emissions fed into existing pipelines for permanent underground storage. Varme continues to monitor inflation and tariff impacts as it prepares for the final planning stages.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

Who is your favourite Councillor - and why?

Is it because of their voting record, how they engage with the community, or something else?

Take a moment to reply and share your thoughts with us.

Your feedback helps us understand which Councillors are truly representing the interests and values of Sherwood Park residents.

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

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