Blog – Page 4 – Christopher Northcott

Notes from Council, November 30, 2023

Christopher Northcott on December 1, 2023

Dear Residents & Ratepayers,

This has been a very busy month for County Council between two regular meetings, the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) Fall convention, as well as two days of budget committee meetings. A 2024 Interim Budget has been referred to County Council for approval, however, the actual tax implications will not be known until after the December 31^st, 2023, taxable assessment has been received prior to budget finalization next Spring.

Council enjoyed a very good dialogue with local MLA Joseph Schow when he attended our November 1^st meeting, virtually. Some of the conversations we had with him carried over to the meetings that were had with government ministers during the RMA Convention. There remains significant concern regarding the impact of drought conditions on coverage rates for crop insurance in future years. There remains significant concern over the impact of provincial quasi-judicial boards in providing large-scale development approvals (i.e. renewable energy installations, confined feeding operations, etc.). There also remains significant concern over the need, timing, and scope of upgrades to Highway 547 at the North end of Vulcan County.

Notes from Council, October 27, 2023

Christopher Northcott on October 27, 2023

Dear Residents & Ratepayers,

I hope any outstanding harvesting was concluded before the weather turned this week. For those looking to get out of the house, tickets are still available for the District-20 (Champion) Fire Association fundraiser on November 4^th at the Champion Community Hall. While tickets are available at the front counter of the Vulcan County Office, they can be purchased around Champion and from most members of the fire association.

After my last Notes from Council was printed in the Champion Chronicle, I issued a correction in the online version (on my website) regarding the matter of council remuneration. The correction reads: “While the external review recommended a ten percent increase to council remuneration (which was approved in November 2022), the more recent internal review data has shown that Vulcan County remains at least fifteen percent behind the market rates (when compared to other municipalities). As such, Council has approved a one-time increase of fifteen percent, in addition to the ten percent that was approved last year, for inclusion in the 2024 budget.” Information regarding these changes can be found on my website, along with my expense reports, and I welcome your feedback on this issue.

Locating Unmarked Graves in Vulcan County: The Frontiers of Remote Sensing Technologies

Christopher Northcott on October 8, 2023

Earlier this year, the Department of Geography at the University of Lethbridge and Vulcan County successfully applied for a MITACS research grant, funding for a project that pushes the limits of remote sensing technologies in looking for unmarked graves in Vulcan County.

To make this project happen, MITACS provided 50% of the funding or $15,000. Vulcan County has funded 25% of the project or $7,500. The remaining 25% of the funding came from the communities of Carmangay, Lomond and Milo, with each village contributing $500 and each community contributing $2,000. The sponsoring community groups are the Carmangay Historical Society, the Carmangay Agricultural Society, the Lions Club of Lomond, and the Lions Club of Milo.

This project will help resolve a longstanding problem of “lost” graves, enhancing our awareness of local history while contributing to the respectful management of our cemeteries. The data generated will have significant practical applications, especially as it concerns creating and updating cemetery profiles to local geographic information system (GIS) profiles that then identify unmark graves.

In this effort, we are fortunate to be working with Dr. Craig Coburn of the University of Lethbridge, benefiting from his expertise as well as the additional resources that he has at his disposal. Supporting his research and field work is research intern Paul Novoseltzev.

Public Professor Series: Dr. Digvir Jayas, “Recent Trends in the Food Industry”

Christopher Northcott on October 8, 2023

The University of Lethbridge began offering the Public Professor Series back in 2014. On September 28th, 2023, I attended the talk by the new President and Vice Chancellor of the university, Dr. Digvir Jayas, on “Recent Trends in the Food Industry.”

National Citizens Inquiry Interim-Report

Christopher Northcott on October 2, 2023

The National Citizens Inquiry (NCI) was formed to hear evidence and review Canada’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

On September 14th, the NCI Commissioners released an urgent interim-report given Health Canada’s September 12th authorization for updated Moderna vaccine for Covid-19. This report is posted below.

Please check out the NCI website for more information on the release of the Interim-Report and the progress of this organization. The expert witness testimony of Shawn Buckley and Deanna McLeod that accompanies the report is worth checking out.

NCI-Interim-Report-C19-Vaccine-Authorization-Process-2023-09-14 Download

Notes from Council, September 29, 2023

Christopher Northcott on September 29, 2023

CORRECTION: This version corrects the one that was published in the Champion Chronicle that incorrectly explains the proposed changes to councilor remuneration.

Dear Residents & Ratepayers,

There was one meeting of County Council in September. We had the good fortune of appointing Deanna Heather as the new Agricultural Fieldman for Vulcan County under the Agricultural Services Board Act of Alberta. In this role, Deanna replaces Kelly Malmberg after his long and dedicated service of 28 years. I have really appreciated Kelly’s contribution to Administration and wish him well in his retirement. Deanna has worked for the County for many years and is now responsible for enforcing the Weed Control Act, the Soil Conservation Act, and the Agricultural Pests Act.