Sturgeon County is ready to come roaring back post-pandemic into a future of jobs, broadband, and hydrogen, said the county’s mayor.
Sturgeon County Mayor Alanna Hnatiw gave the State of the County Address to about 90 people during a May 19 online meeting of the St. Albert and District Chamber of Commerce.
The talk focused on the county’s new investments made as part of this year’s budget and how they would prepare the region for a post-pandemic world.
“Life after COVID is going to be very different than what we knew before and what we see now,” Hnatiw said, adding the county was investing in its roads, parks, and emergency services to prepare for that future.
Hnatiw said this region would be “in for the fight of our lives” coming out of the pandemic. Regional collaboration would be essential, and residents would have little patience for discord.
“We need to put our heads together and figure out how to do the very best to support our ratepayers.”
Building ahead
In an interview, Hnatiw explained that the province is in for a fight post-pandemic because the world was demanding more ecological and social responsibility from energy producers. While there was still global demand for Canada’s energy products, it was incumbent on us to deliver those products in a greener, more efficient manner.
The growing hydrogen economy is an important element of that transition, and could allow this region to use its skilled workers and cheap resources to create hydrogen to heat homes, power vehicles, and create jobs, she said. The county had invested about $150,000 in this year’s budget to draw hydrogen investment and create an environmental services/green economy roadmap.
Hnatiw was the chair of the new $2.3-million Edmonton Region Hydrogen Hub, which she said would draw area governments together to determine the necessary policies and investments to kick-start a regional hydrogen economy. Hnatiw said this group should eventually help residents heat homes and dry grain using hydrogen, which would cut carbon costs. The group also planned to test-drive hydrogen-fueled heavy trucks later this year.
Hnatiw and other county staffers spoke about infrastructure investments the county was making this year, which included some $45-million in road, bridge, and drainage work.
Hnatiw said this investment surge was the result of new tax dollars from the Sturgeon Refinery (which is now fully operational), low interest rates, and a large number of construction firms looking for work due to the slumping economy.
“There’s been some pent-up projects in anticipation of this (refinery) assessment coming in,” she said, and she was happy to start addressing the backlog.
County residents should expect to see less flooding in fields as the county addresses drainage issues, as well as improvements to paved and gravel roads, Hnatiw said. Meadowview Drive in particular should be a much smoother ride by year’s end.
Hnatiw’s presentation touched on the county’s $7.3-million broadband improvement pilot project for the Calahoo, Rivière Qui Barre, and Villeneuve regions.
“Internet is now a basic service,” Hnatiw said, as the pandemic has driven many of us to work, attend school, or get health care online — all trends she suspected would continue post-pandemic.
Hnatiw said the county would put out a request for proposals on how to improve broadband speeds in the pilot region this June. Potential solutions could involve running fibre optic lines to every home, raising wireless towers, or tapping into satellites. Construction would likely start next spring.
Hnatiw said she was “cautiously optimistic” about the next year and hoped the economy and public-health measures would be fully open for the next State of the County address. She has yet to decide if she will run for re-election.
St. Albert Mayor Cathy Heron is set to deliver the State of the City address to the St. Albert Chamber June 16.
