City of Lloydminster planners are working with about a two per cent population growth per year, indicates Mayor Gerald Aalbers. That equates to just over 700 people could be added to the city every 12 months.
With the recent announcement of some $900 million by Covenant Energy to construct a bio-diesel refinery starting in 2024, the Cenovus Energy Hub events centre to break ground later this year and conversations on the coming of Costco, Lloydminster is clearly poised for fresh economic activity.
Mayor Gerald Aalbers while speaking at the naming of the new events centre which is being built at over $90 million, is sharing his thoughts on the city’s preparedness to deal with economic and population expansion. The issue was raised in the presence of both Alberta MLA Garth Rowswell and Saskatchewan MLA Colleen Young.
The matter is premised on anticipated growth and its impact on health, education, social and other services which have bi-provincial jurisdiction, but redound to the benefit of citizens across the Midwest region.
Aalbers registered the city’s responsibility to secure things like water, sewer, roads, recreation, culture, policing and fire services, but noted the ongoing work with Alberta and Saskatchewan to address the needs of the region.
“We are working with our two-MLAs and the two-governments, both of Saskatchewan and Alberta to continue to elevate the concerns and challenges that we face being a bi-provincial city, but also the needs of our community. There is no question – healthcare, education, the social services that are all responsibilities of the province and federal government, partly, (these) will continue to be raised by myself and our council members,” says Aalbers.
Aalbers pointed out that the city is also looking at a 10-year long term capital budget.
He acknowledged that there would be fluctuations in the population growth projection, but expressed his resolve to continue to move the needle forward on the matters that have bi-provincial and federal responsibility.
“To talk about the value of economic growth, followed by the investment of our provincial and federal governments, to ensure that we can continue to maintain the lifestyle, the features – such as, the Cenovus Energy Hub and all the other pieces that make our city a great place to live, work, raise a family and retire,” says Aalbers.
The mayor noted that when the Lloydminster Upgrader came on stream, it doubled the size of the city. He sees the investments from Cenovus and others as continuing to drive the economy and growth in the city, and again benefiting the entire region.
