Bonnyville will go to FCM conference, sponsors Winterland Invitation, Lakeland Yellowjackets

Bonnyville will be represented at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference later this year.

Town council elected to go the annual FCM conference after it was on the chopping block during budget deliberations in December.

Since the Town passed an interim budget with many major decisions in limbo until the CLAWR money is decided by the Minister of Municipal Affairs, it was up for debate on Tuesday.

It will cost roughly $21,000.

“There was more flip-flopping than pancakes on Canada Day on this particular issue,” said Mayor Gene Sobolewski on The Morning After.

Sobolewski said that small towns like Bonnyville are well below the FCM’s definition of small community, which is a population of 100,000 people, and that last year’s meeting in Quebec City had an eastern bias that didn’t advocate well for Alberta or Alberta oil.

Despite these things, town council supported going to Toronto for the conference Jun. 4-7.

“That to me was a bit of a shocker. But on the other hand, the council also said that for some of them there was value in attending,” said Sobolewski.

The M.D. of Bonnyville did not renew their membership in FCM late last year.

That didn’t influence their decision.

“There was some commentary to that regard, but then there was the opposite. It’s not monkey see monkey do.”

RMHC Winterland, Yellowjackets receive support

The Ronald McDonald House Charities third annual Winterland Invitational tournament is happening Family Day weekend across the Lakeland and town council chose to support.

The Town will be the $8000 Ice Level sponsor for the tournament from Feb. 14-16.

“This was a fairly easy decision….take a look at the benefit to the communities where they host these things where the games are hosted. Bonnyville, from the C2 to the hotels, I mean, it’s just a hub of activity. This is a great and worthwhile event,” said Sobolewski.

The Lakeland Yellowjackets will receive $250 to help send track and field athletes to the Simplot Games indoor tournament in February.

The event is attended by universities and colleges while competing against international competition.