Public Hearing April 14

DID YOU KNOW????????

MOST IMPORTANTLY…LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD…

COME TO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON APRIL 14, 2026

9:00AM AT COUNTY COUNCIL CHAMBERS

Parts of the Clearwater County Municipal Development Plan (an over-arching document that controls land development and use in our county) are being reviewed.  

The current revisions focus on Section 10 Subdivision of Land.  Proposed changes include:

• Allowing only 1 subdivision out of a quarter along with the title for the remainder of the quarter.
• Allowing an additional subdivision for a fragmented parcel.
• Multi-lot subdivisions shall consist of any proposal for subdivision outside of those mentioned above.
• Deleting the clause that allowed for agricultural small holdings as a discretionary use within the Country Residence Agricultural District (CRA). (Note this could possibly prevent people from the benefit of small activities such as selling eggs or garden produce off their acreages.)

For more information and a comparison of the current clauses and the proposed changes, you may google Clearwater County Taxpayers’ Association or go to our website at:           clearwatercountytaxpayers.blogspot.com

IT’S YOUR LAND; YOUR VOICE MATTERS

LET IT BE HEARD ON APRIL 14TH

INFORMATION RE MDP REVIEW

Background: At the November 12, 2025 council meeting a motion by Deputy Reeve Drew McKay was passed directing Administration to prepare a bylaw to amend the current Municipal Development Plan. There was significant discussion at that meeting about possible changes, most specifically regarding Section 10- Subdivision of Land. Subsequently at the February 24, 2026 council meeting Council granted First Reading to amending the current MDP and proceed to a Public Hearing.

Clauses involved: Number of Permitted Parcels in Quarter Sections Designated Agriculture District (Current clauses with changes in red).

10.2.1 In a quarter section designated Agriculture District as per the land Use Bylaw:

(a.) the maximum number of titled parcels that are allowed to be created in a quarter section shall be two(2). This number includes one(1) additional parcel and the balance or remainder of the quarter section.

10.2.2 Not withstanding 10.2.1, Clearwater County may approve one additional subdivision in a quarter section for residential or non-residential use subject to the proposed parcel being redesignated to the designation applicable to the use under the Land Use Bylaw. The land use redesignation must be approved prior to the subdivision application being approved.

(a.) The non-largest agricultural parcel on a quarter section may be entitled to a land use bylaw amendment and subsequent subdivision. An application within the non-largest agricultural parcel shall be evaluated by Council at the time of the lan use bylaw amendment.

Proposed Change: Delete Policy 10.2.2 in its entirety and replace with:

Not withstanding 10.2.1, Clearwater County may approve one additional subdivision in a quarter section for a residential parcel from the largest agricultural parcel within a previously subdivided quarter section that does not already contain a residential subdivision.

10.2.3 When evaluating the land use redesignation which may provide additional subdivision options Clearwater County shall take into consideration:

(a) the impact on roadways, access and potential for additional traffic;

(b) potential impacts on adjacent lands including existing uses;

(c) The applicable residential policies contained in Section 6 and 5.2.3 of this MDP

Proposed Change: Delete Policy 10.2.3 in its entirety and replace with:

In addition to the subdivision of a first residential parcel from a quarter section as provided for in Policy 10.2.2, Clearwater County may approve the subdivision of land that is separated from the balance of the quarter section by a developed registered public road, and active railroad, a permanent water course or water body provided by following criteria re met to the satisfaction of the County:

(a) The feature that separates the fragmented parcel from the balance of the title is impassable for farm machinery;

(b) The difficulty and safety of access from the balance of the title renders the proposed fragmented parcel to be permanently severed from the balance of the title;

(c) The size and characteristics of the parcel to be fragmented are as conducive or more conducive to the proposed use than the current use; and

(d) With regard to a permanent water course or water body, there is written confirmation from Alberta Sustainable Resource Development that the title of the bed and shore of the water course or water body is vested in the Crown in the right of Alberta.

10.2.7 (Currently the final sentence states:) Multi-lot subdivisions shall consist of any proposal for four (4) or more titles per quarter section. Replace with:

Multi-lot subdivisions shall consist of any proposal for subdivisions outside of 10.2.1 through 10.2.3.

10.2.8 Agricultural small holdings will be a discretionary use within the Country Residence Agricultural District within the Land Use Bylaw.

Delete Policy 10.2.8 in its entirety.

Figure 6: Subdivision Examples (This page shows diagrams of how additional subdivisions could be created. Example 1 shows a proposed second parcel in an opposite corner of the quarter section with each parcel being 7 acres. Example 2 shows a second parcel adjacent to the existing first parcel out. One parcel could be 5 acres and one could be 7 acres. Example 3 shows a fragmented parcel.)

Delete the statements and Example 1 and Example 2 within Figure 6.

URGENT ACTION NEEDED

As these clauses affect every land owner’s rights, it is absolutely crucial that the voices and opinions of the residents of Clearwater County are heard.

PLEASE COME TO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON APRIL 14, 2026 AT 9:00AM AT THE COUNTY OFFICE. LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD.

IN THE NEWS

By Marianne Cole

BROADBAND

• CCTA Workshop   
• A successful broadband workshop was held at Dovercourt on Saturday, February 21,2026.  Our first guest speaker, Phil Swanson, from Missing Link, spoke on the operational processes and pro’s/con’s of fibre optics, satellite, and hybrid connectivity.  With the definite variety of topography in Clearwater County a combined provision of these options is necessary.  Here is a brief description of each:

• Fibre Optics 
•   This option features fibre optic cables connected to a central hub and then has the cables dug into the ground throughout the county including to residences.  It is a highly reliable, cost effective option with large capacity.  With the varied land types in Clearwater County, it is difficult to install in some areas.  Depending on the options a person would choose, the costs range from $60 to $200 per month.
• Hybrid   
• This option uses a combination of towers and cable with communication passing through both structures.  While it is a cheaper option, resident hook-up does require a line of site to the tower.  Monthly costs range from $50 - $150.
• Satellite 
•   This currently seems to be a very popular option with many residents hooking up to Starlink.  While it is an easily accessible option it may be negatively affected by weather and increased usage.  Monthly costs average $140.

• County Operations  
• Keith Ponton with Arcadis, was our second speaker and gave an excellent, informative presentation on the county’s broadband operations.  Special notes were:

• Current happenings   
• Representatives from AFL, a company hired by the county to promote the project, are going around the county and stopping at residences to provide information to home owners as well as gather “expressions of interest”.  As soon as possible crews will also continue digging in fibre optic cable.
• Early Bird Offer  
• Accepting an early bird offer for hook up would cost a resident $399 which includes necessary equipment and fibre optic cable for the first 100m to your home.  Beyond that distance there would currently be a charge of $14/m.  These costs would be paid when the hook up actually occurs.
• Increased property value 
•   Property owners that hook up could potentially see an increase in property value of approximately $11,000.
• Community benefit 
•   It was also noted that during construction, with the various crews involved and them using various community facilities/businesses, there could be a benefit of @ $7M to the community.

During Mr. Ponton’s presentation various concerns were brought up, including:

• Difficulty working through the county’s website to access information.
• The significant cost of bringing fibre from the roadway to the residences.  Suggestions to address this included allowing people to either hang the cable on their fences or dig it in themselves.  Another option brought forward was to “average” the inlay cost so everyone paid the same cost for bringing the service from the road to the home, similar to the method use by gas coops.
• Desire for more public engagement opportunities to provide information and encourage hook ups.

We certainly look forward to seeing what happens as the county continues with this operation.

BITCOIN MINING CENTERS APPROVED   

At the February 18^th meeting of Clearwater County’s Municipal Planning Commission (MPC) they approved discretionary use development permits for the installation and operation of 3 power generation sites for Bitcoin Mining Centers.  These operations will be located in an undeveloped area in the northeastern part of the county, roughly 4 – 10 miles east of Hwy. 22, on the north side of the Medicine Lake Road.

While similar to data centers, Bitcoin Mining Centers are dedicated solely to enabling transactions related to the Bitcoin network.  Conversely, data centers are larger facilities designed to store, process, and manage large amounts of data for various applications.  

Both centers use large amounts of energy, though Bitcoin operations can scale their energy use up and down based on market conditions and energy prices.

The companies involved, NVS Engineering and Jayhawk Resources are both Alberta based, though NVS also has an office in Sheridan, Wyoming.

This will be another interesting matter to follow as it develops.

Up-Coming Events

• March 18, 2026, 7:30PM, Arbutus Community Hall.  CCTA meeting with guest speaker MP William Stevenson.  
• April 8, 2026, 7:30PM, Leslieville Elks Hall.  CCTA meeting with guest speakers Mark Dorin and Jason Nixon to discuss the province’s proposed Mature Asset Strategy  to deal with regulations governing current and orphan wells.

 “May your heart be light and happy; may your smile be big and wide; and may your pockets always have a coin or two inside.”  Irish proverb.

IN THE NEWS

By Marianne Cole

• Caroline Area Structure Plan   Open House meetings held in Caroline on February 3, 2026 kicked off public engagement and the review of an Area Structure Plan for that hamlet.  As stated in the information handout, an ASP “is a statutory (legally binding) document that guides and informs the orderly development of a land area.”  It also stated, “For the Hamlet of Caroline, the ASP will establish a vision for the future of the community and will inform County decisions on future development.”

Following an informative presentation, along with a question/answer period, residents had the opportunity to personally speak with Planning staff at various tables.  Here the public could gather information as well as give opinions on residential, commercial, industrial, or recreation development.  One commonly noted concern continued to focus on the possible solar farm on the north side of Caroline.

The proposed timeline for the completion of this review is:

• January – February 2026.  Introduce the process and gather information from the community as well as through research.
• March – May 2026.  Complete a draft of the ASP, hold open house to gather feedback on the draft, and make necessary revisions to the draft.
• June 2026.  Present the draft to Council, hold a Public Hearing, and follow this with Council making a final decision on the document.

Special kudos to Council for their decision to do the work on this document “in house” with our county Planning Staff rather than hiring a consultant.

• Broadband   Work continues throughout the county on the installation of fibre optic cable with the ultimate goal to provide “Fibre to the Home” (FTTH) to a large portion of the county.  The fibre network is owned 100% by the county but interested Internet Service Providers (ISP’s) can lease the fibre network to offer their internet services to the residents.  This program allows a property to be connected from the fibre line at the municipal access point on the road to their home or business.

Information provided in the recent broadband newsletter on the initial hook up cost to residents states, “An early bird rate of $399 for the first 100m, plus $14/m beyond that, is currently available.  Once the overall network construction is completed, the standard rate of $1500 for the first 100m will apply.”

 Further information on broadband operations can be found in the first Broadband E-Newsletter that is available on the county’s website (clearwatercounty.ca/broadband).  This document provides excellent information on the history of the county’s actions on broadband as well as the current process.

Because there are still a lot of unanswered questions and concerns the Clearwater County Taxpayers’ Association is organizing a Broadband Workshop on February 21, 2026 at 1:00PM at the Dovercourt Hall.  There will be a presentation on fibre optics vs. satellite, along with an opportunity for information, questions, and discussion on county broadband operations.

• Special Guest Speaker in March    Our recently elected Member of Parliament Mr. William Stevenson will be the guest speaker at the CCTA’s March meeting.  To accommodate his schedule the regular meeting date is being delayed one week to March 18, 2026 at 7:00PM at the Arbutus Community Hall.  This will be a great opportunity to gather information and express your concerns on matters related to federal politics.

• UP-COMING EVENTS

• February 11, 2026, 7:30PM, Leslieville Elks’ Hall, Regular CCTA meeting
• February 21, 2026, 1:00PM, Dovercourt Hall, Broadband Workshop
• March 18, 2026, 7:00PM, Arbutus Community Hall, CCTA meeting with Guest Speaker, MP William Stevenson

“Friendship is love without conditions, laughter without limits, and memories without end.” Anonymous

Letter To Clearwater County Council re. Broadband

Marianne Cole, President Clearwater County Taxpayers’ Association RR #1 Rocky Mtn. House, AB T4T 2A1 mcmajic@telus.net

Clearwater County Council Box 550 Rocky Mtn. House, AB T4T 1A4 jnorthcott@clearwatercounty.ca dmckay@clearwatercounty.ca bpowell@clearwatercounty.ca hletwin@clearwatercounty.ca tmccauley@clearwatercounty.ca bcermak@clearwatercounty.ca lhumphrey@clearwatercounty.ca CC: remmons@clearwatercounty.ca

January 19, 2026

Dear Reeve Northcott, Deputy Reeve McKay, and Councillors Powell, Letwin, McCauley, Cermak, and Humphrey:

At our Clearwater County Taxpayers’ Association monthly meeting Wednesday, January 14, 2026 we passed the following motion:

“Moved by Helge Nome, seconded by Julie Layden that the CCTA formally request concrete information on Broadband finances and operational plans from the county finance department, tech department, and current operation contractors involved with the Broadband project by February 14, 2026.”

There was significant discussion related to Broadband at our meeting with several questions/concerns regarding the financial impacts on taxpayers. Consequently, the above motion was made and we look forward to getting information from each of the three groups noted above.

Thank you for your attention to this matter and we look forward to hearing from you.

Yours truly,

Marianne Cole

IN THE NEWS

By Marianne Cole

• BUDGET DELIBERATIONS   Significant discussion and questioning took place on the 2026 budget during council meetings December 10-12, 2025, with final approval taking place December 19^th.  Highlights included:

• Operating Budget   This included expenses of $58,866, 409.  Of special note in the operating category were:

• Assisting the town with the washroom facility at the new bike park for $60,000.
• Expansion of the Leslieville Cemetery for $253,000.
• Support of the Ferrier Community Hall project for $125,000.
• Helping fund the warming shelter in Rocky for $300/day to a maximum of $20,000.
• Increased work plan for broadband operations for $60,000.  (These monies will be used to gather information and legal advice on current operations.

• Capital Budget   This approved budget provides for expenditures of $40,311,347.  Of special note in capital plans were:

• Postponement of building a heated storage facility until 2027.
• $2,000,000 support for the Caroline Arena Ice Plant.
• $250,000 support in 2026 for the Nordegg Cemetery expansion, with the remainder to be discussed during 2027 budget deliberations.
• Postponement of the Nordegg south townsite access road until 2027 with $25,000 allocated in 2026 to explore alternative road locations.
• Hold Broadband expenditures to $2,826,601 until a decision can be made regarding the future of the broadband project.

Several notable items/topics will be brought forward in future deliberations including policies on dust control, grading, solid waste management plans, community hall and rec. board policies/funding, Nordegg development plan, infrastructure in Caroline, and broadband.

Special kudos to our dedicated councillors for their serious consideration of the budget including their requests for complete, accurate information as they wisely work for financial responsibility.

• BROADBAND   This has been a significant topic of discussion throughout the county with various opinions and concerns.  A specific meeting of the Broadband Committee (made up of all councillors) was held on November 27, 2025.  Notable information presented/discussed included:

• Fibre installation to be completed in 2026 include Ferrier/Crimson Lake, Nordegg north side, and initial Rocky East.   Plans for 2027 include Rocky east to county of Lacombe border, Rocky north to county of Wetaskiwin, and Rocky south to Caroline and Mountain View county border.
• To date 932 homes have been passed with 288 ready for service.
• The total project cost is estimated to be $140M with approximately $87M to be funded by federal and provincial grants, leaving $52M to be funded by the county.
• If there would be a 50% uptake by residents there is a possibility of the project cash flow to reach a break-even point in 2029.
• A possible pricing model would have customers pay a monthly fee of $90.00 with $25.00 going to the ISP (Internet Service Provider) and $65.00 going to the county.

Throughout the meeting there were excellent questions and concerns expressed by council members.  Most of these focused on finances with a strong desire for answers related to current and projected costs along with potential revenue.

In the meantime, resident concerns have focused on:

• Distinct lack of information on the project being provided by the county.
• Over reliance on using the county website to access information.
• Difficulty manoevering through the county’s website to find the information wanted. 

To counter these concerns various methods of providing information including newspaper articles, neighborhood sandwich boards, and door to door visits are being planned.

UP-COMING MEETINGS:  Wednesday, January 14, 2026, 7:30PM, Leslieville Elks Hall;  Wednesday, February 11, 2026, same time and place.

 “Approach the new year with resolve to find the opportunities hidden in each new day.”Michael Josephson.    

“What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year.”  Vern McLellan

Board member list: Ron Schultz, Susan Durand, Pat Butler, Reg Belyea, Leona Bertagnolli, Christine Foesier, Jim Foesier, Julie Layden, and Leah Schultz.

IN THE NEWS (Special Election Info)

By Marianne Cole

WHO ARE THE CANDIDATES???

• Ward 1:  Gennifer Mehlhaff, Breanne Powell
• Ward 2:  Cammie Laird, Hazen Letwin
• Ward 3:  Leona Bertagnolli, Daryl Lougheed, Andrew (Drew) McKay
• Ward 4:  Jordan Northcott, Deborah Skeels, John Vandermeer
• Ward 5:  James Cuthill, Jamie Gallagher, Tyler McCauley, Neil Ratcliffe
• Ward 6:  Brenda Barker, Russell Barnett, Bryan Cermak, William Davies, Ashley Perepelkin
• Ward 7:  Lorne Humphrey, Michelle Swanson

Information on each of the candidates may be found on the Clearwater County website by searching  “2025 Municipal Election”.

WHAT WARD MIGHT YOU BE IN???   

This is a brief summary of where the wards are:

• Ward 1  is south west of Rocky Mtn. House, taking in the Hardindell, Everdell, and Cow Lake areas.
• Ward 2 is generally in the Leslieville area, south of Highway 12 and includes the Bingley and Condor areas.
• Ward 3 is south of Ward 2 and includes the Arbutus and Evergreen areas east of Hwy. 22.
• Ward 4 is in the Dovercourt area and west of Hwy. 22.
• Ward 5 is around Rocky Mtn. House and then west through Farrier and out to Nordegg.
• Ward 6 is south west and west of Caroline and in the Crammond area.
• Ward 7 is north of Hwy. 12 in the Frisco and Gimlet areas.

CANDIDATES’ FORUMS   

Three different Candidates’ Forums will be held, giving you a chance to hear what each candidate’s position is on county matters and how they intend to work on your behalf.

• October 1, 2025, 7:00PM, Caroline HUB, hosted by the Caroline Chamber of Commerce
• October 2, 2025, 7:00PM, Rocky Mountain House Legion, hosted by the Rocky Chamber of Commerce
• October 8, 2025, 7:00PM, Leslieville Community Hall, hosted by the Clearwater County Taxpayers’ Association

We certainly encourage you to attend these events.

VOTING TIMES AND LOCATIONS   

Advanced voting will take place Monday, October 6, 2025 from 10:00AM to 6:00PM at the Caroline Hub and the Rocky Regional Recreation Centre. 

Regular election day voting will take place Monday, October 20, 2025 from 10:00AM to 8:00PM.  The various voting locations are as follows:

Ward 1:  Arbutus Hall,  Rocky Regional Recreation Centre, Dovercourt Hall, Everdell Hall, or Hardindell    Hall

Ward 2:  Bingley Hall, Rocky Regional Recreation Centre, Condor Hall, or Leslieville Elks’ Hall

Ward 3:  Arbutus Hall,  Rocky Regional Recreation Centre, Condor Hall, Evergreen Hall, or Leslieville Elks’   Hall

Ward 4:  Caroline HUB, Rocky Regional Recreation Centre, Dovercourt Hall, or Everdell Hall

Ward 5:  Bingley Hall, Buster Creek Hall/Crimson Lake Hall, Rocky Regional Recreation Centre, Frisco    Hall,  Nordegg Public Services Building

Ward 6:  Caroline Hub, Rocky Regional Recreation Centre, Crammond Hall, Evergreen Hall, James River     Hall

Ward 7:  Bingley Hall, Rocky Regional Recreation Centre,  Frisco Hall, Gimlet Hall, Leslieville Elks’ Hall

We certainly encourage everyone to get out and vote.  This election will determine how our county operates for the next 4 years.  May your voice be heard as the in-coming council considers your input in the most beneficial way.

UP-COMING EVENTS: 

October 8, 2025, 7:00PM, Leslieville Community Hall, Candidates’ Forum

November 12, 2025, 7:30PM, Leslieville Elks’ Hall, CCTA Annual General Meeting

“As we express our gratitude we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter word but to live by them.”  John Fitzgerald Kennedy

“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” Melody Beattie

“Each day is a gift from God.  What you do with it is your gift to Him.”  T.D. Jakes