August 29, 2026

Deep dive on “Removal of Deadfall in Wooded Areas” Agenda Item 3.3

On September 1, Red Deer City Council will be asked to move the deadline for its review of deadfall removal in wooded areas to October 27.

The detailed review is not coming before Council at this meeting. The only decision on September 1 is whether to approve the postponement.

According to Item 3.3 of the September 1 Council agenda, the review began with a motion passed on February 25.

Administration was directed to examine the City’s deadfall-removal practices, consider residents’ concerns and look at lessons from the Jasper wildfire. The original deadline was the end of the third quarter of 2026.

Administration is now asking to move the report to October 27, citing scheduling constraints and the need to maintain balanced Council agendas.

That would push the review beyond its original deadline.

So, what does the City currently do?

The City of Red Deer’s Urban Forest Fire Mitigation page provides additional context on current practices. It explains that the City uses a targeted approach, removing deadfall and vegetation in areas identified through wildfire-risk assessments while retaining some natural material that supports forest health and regeneration.

The City assesses wildfire risk using factors such as forest density, tree health, tree types and ages, nearby development and access for firefighting equipment.

In areas selected for mitigation work, crews may:

• Remove deadfall and vegetation within 10 metres on each side of trails.

• Remove dead or dying trees and replace some with more fire-resistant deciduous trees.

• Identify and remove trees that could fall toward nearby properties.

• Complete the work during winter to reduce damage to the forest floor, wildlife and vegetation.

The City’s mitigation page also explains why some decomposing logs are intentionally left behind. It says they are often moist and difficult to ignite while also supporting soil, habitat and forest regeneration.

That context helps explain the balance the review may have to examine: reducing wildfire risk while protecting the health of Red Deer’s urban forests.

The agenda doesn’t say exactly what the final report will cover, but there are some obvious questions many residents may be looking for answers to when it returns. These aren’t questions listed by the City, they’re simply things to watch for:

Should deadfall removal extend farther beyond trail corridors?

Are some neighbourhoods or forested areas at greater risk?

Would expanded removal require additional staff or funding?

What lessons from the Jasper wildfire could apply to Red Deer’s urban forest?

How should environmental and wildlife considerations be balanced with public safety?

Those answers will have to wait for the complete report.

If Council approves the postponement, the review and any recommended changes are expected to return on October 27.

The same September 1 agenda also contains a separate request to add a regular Council meeting on October 27. Both items are on the consent agenda and could be approved together without individual debate unless a Council member asks to pull one for separate discussion.

SOURCES

• City of Red Deer — September 1, 2026 Council Agenda Package, Items 3.2 and 3.3

• City of Red Deer — February 25 and 26, 2026 Special Council Meeting Minutes:
https://meeting.reddeer.ca/OnBase.../Meetings/ViewMeeting...

• City of Red Deer — Urban Forest Fire Mitigation:
https://www.reddeer.ca/.../urban-forest-fire-mitigation/

• City of Red Deer — “On the Agenda: September 1, 2026”:
https://www.reddeer.ca/.../city-councilon-the...

August 28, 2026

Council to consider a massive 33% increase to the municipal access fee. Can households take any more?

Deep dive on the Red Deer City Council Agenda Item 5.1: Municipal Consent and Access Fee Percentage Decision

On September 1, Red Deer City Council will discuss increasing the Municipal Consent and Access Fee on water, wastewater and electricity from 15% to 20%.

It may look like a five-percentage-point change, but it represents a 33.3% increase in the fee rate.

According to the Council report, the recommended increase would add approximately $10.25 per month (or $123 per year) to the average in-city residential utility customer’s bills, while generating approximately $6.28 million more per year for the City than keeping the fee at 15%.

That estimate is based on draft 2027 utility rates. It does not include any separate utility-rate changes that may be approved through the upcoming budget process.

In other words, this may not be the only increase residents see on their utility bills next year.

So, what is the Municipal Consent and Access Fee?

The City’s report explains:

“The purpose of the fee is to compensate The City for the utility’s use of The City’s land.”

The fee is collected through utility bills, with the revenue used to support the City’s tax-funded operations and capital requirements.

It may not technically be called a property tax, but for residents trying to balance a household budget, that distinction may not mean very much. It is still a mandatory charge added to a bill that must be paid.

Council has three main options.

It can leave the fee at 15%.

It can increase it to 18%, adding an estimated $6.55 per month to an average residential customer’s bills.

Or it can increase it to 20%, adding an estimated $10.25 per month.

Administration is recommending the 20% option.

Administration is also proposing that 25% of all municipal access-fee revenue collected across City utilities be transferred to the Capital Projects Reserve each year. The remaining revenue would continue supporting approved operating and capital requirements.

The City has real infrastructure needs, and those costs must be addressed.

But residents are also facing higher costs for housing, groceries, insurance, utilities and almost every other household expense.

An additional $10.25 per month may not sound overwhelming when viewed on its own. But households do not experience these increases one at a time. They experience all of them together.

At what point does the combined weight become more than residents can reasonably absorb?

That is the balance Council will have to consider when this proposal is discussed at the September 1 Council meeting.

The 2027 utility rates will be considered separately, with those deliberations scheduled to begin September 29.

August 27, 2026

Could Red Deer use a “take it or leave it” area at the landfill?

This idea was brought forward by Sheryl H., and I think it’s worth asking the community about.

The concept is to create a designated space where residents could leave usable furniture, building materials, household items and other things that are too good to throw away, and allow others to take them home.

The area could be located behind the landfill entrance and scale. Everyone would still weigh in and out, helping prevent it from becoming a free dumping area. Clear rules would determine what could be left, and unusable items would still go into the landfill.

It could keep useful items out of the landfill, help residents save money and give unwanted belongings a second life.

What do you think?

Yes, Red Deer should explore it
Maybe, but only with firm rules
No, it would create too many problems

Would you use a program like this? Let me know your thoughts, and any potential concerns in the comments.

Thanks to Sheryl H. for sharing the idea!