JASPER – The municipality is allowing community peace officers to conduct moving traffic enforcement within the townsite.
Council approved this change in service level on Tuesday (May 20). Moving traffic violations, which are currently only enforced by Jasper RCMP, include speeding and failing to stop at a crosswalk.
Administration will submit a traffic safety plan, approved by the Jasper RCMP detachment, to the Alberta Solicitor General’s office.
If approved, the solicitor general would update Jasper’s peace officers’ designations to include specific authorities to enforce moving traffic violations under the Alberta Traffic Safety Act.
This change is expected to take several weeks to come into effect.
Coun. Helen Kelleher-Empey emphasized how peace officers should use caution when pulling over people along Connaught Drive where there are many moving vehicles and pedestrians.
Coun. Wendy Hall asked if peace officers would now carry firearms, a concern she had heard from residents.
Christine Nadon, director of protective and legislative services, replied that they would not have firearms but do have other protective equipment.
Bulk water incentive program
As the municipality prepares to launch a new bulk water facility and sani dump, council has signed off on a temporary incentive program.
This would reduce the rate for eligible in-town commercial account holders or final users to $7.31 per cubic metre while maintaining the standard $11.31 per cubic metre rate for others.
Commercial water haulers transporting water outside of municipal limits will continue to pay the full rate, but businesses outside of town may be eligible for the program if they can demonstrate financial hardship.
Mayor Richard Ireland asked last week how this program would be equitable to other water users who may also be facing financial hardship.
“All businesses throughout the community, I presume, contribute to the economic recovery of our community and yet not all are going to be captured by this incentive that is restricted to those who use bulk water,” Ireland said.
CAO Bill Given replied there was a significant cost difference, noting that the highest rate for regular connected users was $1.25 per cubic metre, and even the discounted bulk water rate was nearly seven times higher.
Commercial Continuity Initiative
Council also approved the expenditure of nearly $2 million to implement the Commercial Continuity Initiative (CCI). This initiative is meant to support businesses following the wildfire.
The basis of the CCI includes several initiatives previously endorsed by council—the pop-up village, contractor laydown areas and repurposing a portion of the local industrial park for interim industrial use.
The proposed implementation plan includes capital investments in site servicing and preparation, procurement of necessary equipment, staff support and marketing activities.
The federal government is providing $1.82 million, while the municipality will cover the remainder through user fees for the pop-up village, laydown areas and interim industrial spaces.
