St. Paul council is preparing to take its concerns directly to the provincial government, with plans to meet with ministers about deteriorating highway conditions and the future of the local hospital.

The discussion came during a recent council meeting, where councillors agreed the time has come to escalate both issues.

“Painfully obvious” highway conditions

Council raised concerns about the condition of Highway 29 through St. Paul, noting the road has worsened significantly — especially as winter snow clears.

“Once the snow is going away, it’s painfully obvious that it’s worse than ever all the time,” one councillor said.

Mayor and council members pointed out that the last major work on the highway dates back decades.

“I really remember when we did it last was 1997… and it looks like it’s from 1997,” council heard.

Administration confirmed previous discussions with Alberta Transportation suggested upgrades could happen “within a decade” — a timeline that has already passed.

Frustration over lack of timeline

Council expressed frustration not just with the condition of the road, but with the lack of a clear plan from the province.

“Instead of just being told we’ll be there within a decade… if we could plan for two years or three years, then we know what we need to put in our reserves,” administration said.

Without that certainty, the Town says it’s difficult to coordinate its own underground infrastructure work, including water and sewer replacements.

Hospital concerns also heading to province

Council also wants to meet with provincial officials about the St. Paul Healthcare Centre, which was described as the oldest hospital in Alberta.

“I feel strongly… if we don’t meet with them, then they’re just going to ignore you,” council heard.

Concerns raised during the meeting included:

• Aging infrastructure
• Parking challenges around the facility
• Lack of dedicated mental health spaces

“There’s concerns that there’s no designated mental health kind of waiting area or discharge area,” council noted.

Taking a political approach

While administration has had previous conversations with provincial departments, council signalled a shift toward more direct political advocacy.

“That’s the bureaucratic choice… we got to go the political way,” one councillor said.

Council ultimately passed a motion directing administration to:

• Coordinate meetings with provincial health and infrastructure ministries regarding the hospital
• Set up discussions with Alberta Transportation about Highway 29

Looking ahead

Council also noted opportunities to connect with ministers at upcoming conferences, including Alberta Municipalities events, as part of a broader strategy to push these issues forward.

With both infrastructure and healthcare concerns tied closely to quality of life in the community, council made it clear these will remain top priorities.