News

With Council’s Annual Organization Meeting coming up on November 5^th, the MD of Spirit River #133 is accepting applications for the following boards & committees:

• Agricultural Service Board
• Agricultural Appeal Committee
• Central Peace Assessment Review Board
• Central Peace Family and Community Support Services Board
• Peace Regional Subdivision and Development Appeal Board

If you are interested in being considered for one or more of the above boards/committees, the application form can be found at mdspiritriver.ab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Board-and-Committee-Application-Form.pdf or pop into the office @ 4202 – 50th Street for hard copies.

Application deadline is October 24, 2025.

Board & Committee Descriptions:

• The Agricultural Service Board is tasked with promoting sustainable agriculture, managing weed and pest control, conserving soil and water resources, and assisting in the control of animal diseases. ASBs develop and implement local agricultural policies, advise municipal council, and work with the provincial government to enforce legislation related to agriculture.
• The Agricultural Appeal Committee is a body established to hear and decide appeals against specific decisions made by agricultural authorities or agencies, and provide a formal process for individuals or organizations to challenge adverse decisions related to agricultural programs, regulations, or policies.
• The Central Peace Assessment Review Board is an independent, quasi-judicial tribunal responsible for hearing appeals related to property assessments, classifications, and certain aspects of municipal taxation.
• The Central Peace Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) Board is the governing body responsible for overseeing the delivery of preventive social services in the Municipal District of Spirit River #133, the Town of Spirit River, and the Village of Rycroft. It is responsible for determining how FCSS funding is allocated based on local needs and provincial prevention priorities within the FCSS mandate.
• The Peace Regional Subdivision and Development Appeal Board is an independent, intermunicipal, quasi-judicial administrative board established under the Municipal Government Act and bylaws. It functions as a statutory body intended to perform an independent adjudicative function, similar to a court, by hearing and making decisions on appeals related to development permit decisions, stop orders, and subdivision decisions from participating municipalities.

Interested in the response from the Agriculture Ministers to Reeve Tony van Rootselaar’s Declaration of Agricultural Disaster? Read the above correspondence.

𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻!
✔ Safe Campfires in non-combustible manufactured firepits;
✔ Charcoal briquettes in approved barbecues;
✔ Portable Propane firepits;
✔ Gas or propane stoves and barbecues;
✔ Catalytic or infrared style heaters;
✔ Wood fires in an enclosed facility or device, which has a chimney with a spark arrestor;
✔ Burning barrels, with a minimum distance of 30m from structures and 6m from other combustible materials;
✔ Off-Highway vehicles.

𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲-𝗯𝘆-𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘀:
⮕ Burning of heavy fuels

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱:
❌ Burning of large brush piles or windrows;
❌ Fireworks & exploding targets on crown land;
❌ Open campfires in back country or random areas;
❌ Brush & debris burning for non-agricultural purposes.

To check for Fire Advisories, Fire Restrictions and Fire Bans, visit: albertafirebans.ca

To check the Fire Danger Rating, visit: wildfire.alberta.ca/files/firehaz.gif

⁕𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦.

Brice Daly, Acting Fire Chief
Central Peace Fire Rescue Commission

Here is your FINAL Register of Official Nominated Candidates running in the MD of Spirit River #133 for the upcoming 2025 General Municipal Elections happening on October 20^th:

• Evelyn Bzowy
• Elaine Garrow
• Michael (Mickey) Lanigan
• Marcy Martin-Macdaid
• Shelley Rozecki
• Bernard (Bernie) Schoorlemmer
• Nicholas (Nick) van Rootselaar
• Anthony (Tony) van Rootselaar
• Larry Wallin
• Dean Wark
• Darcy White

Be sure to vote and let your voice be heard.

Your VOICE, Your CHOICE!!

And remember, since there is no longer a ward system in the MD of Spirit River, each voter will be able to pick their top 5 candidates for Council regardless of where you or the candidates live in the MD – anyone in the MD can vote for anyone on the ballot.

However, there can ONLY be 5 candidates selected. Any ballots with more than 5 candidates checked off will become VOID.

Time is running out!!

To be eligible for the photo contest, all photos submitted must be taken within the boundaries of the MD of Spirit River. Please give a description of where the photo was taken and when.

By entering and participating in the contest, you consent to the use of your photographs by the MD of Spirit River, during or after the contest closing date, without compensation.

Photos may be submitted in either color or black and white. Each photo should be at least 5” x 7” or larger & high resolution (300 ppi minimum). Hard copies can be mailed to the MD of Spirit River No.133, Box 389, Spirit River, AB TOH 3G0. Digital copies may be emailed to: mdsr133@mdspiritriver.ab.ca. Don’t forget to include your name and contact information!

Photos MUST be submitted by October 16^th, 2025.

Winners will be selected by October 31^st, 2025.

The winning pictures and winners’ names will be posted on our Facebook page and all winners will be notified by phone or email.

Waiver forms/model releases and/or copyright laws are the responsibilities of the entrants.

Submission Deadline for Advertising Extended

With the Nomination Deadline landing on Monday, September 22nd, the Spirit of the Peace Newsletter has decided to extend their submission deadline to allow for Nominated Candidates wishing to advertise their bio and a headshot in our upcoming issue.

This is a great opportunity for any nominated candidate to let their voters know a bit about themselves.

This issue ONLY ~ Advertising Deadline   –   September 22, 2025 @ 2:00pm

Open to ALL Nominated Candidates

$125   ⮕   Photo & Bio – 175 word limit or Bio only – 215 word limit

 Email Denise @ 𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁@𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸.𝗰𝗼𝗺 for submissions.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙉𝙚𝙬𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝘪𝘴 delivered to all 𝘔𝘋 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘛𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳, and 𝘝𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘺𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘵 residents.

As a result of the warmer-than-normal temperatures and drying conditions, the Fire Danger Rating in MD of Spirit River No. 133 is VERY HIGH to EXTREME.

As of this afternoon, the FIRE ADVISORY in MD#133 has been upgraded to a FIRE RESTRICTION, along with our neighboring jurisdictions as well as the Grande Prairie Forest Area.

Allowed with Caution!

• Safe Campfires in non-combustible manufactured firepits
• Charcoal briquettes in approved barbeques
• Portable Propane firepits
• Gas or propane stoves and barbeques
• Catalytic or infrared style heaters
• Wood fires in an enclosed facility or device, which has a chimney with a spark arrestor
• Burning barrels, with a minimum distance of 30m from structures and 6m from other combustible materials.
• Off-Highway vehicles

Prohibited:

• Burning of brush piles or windrows
• Fireworks & exploding targets on crown land
• Open campfires in back country or random areas
• Brush & debris burning for non-agricultural purposes

To check for Fire Advisories, Fire Restrictions and Fire Bans, visit: https://albertafirebans.ca

To check the Fire Danger Rating, visit: https://wildfire.alberta.ca/files/firehaz.gif

The Fire Restriction will remain in effect until conditions improve.

Brice Daly

Acting Fire Chief

Central Peace Fire Rescue Commission

Cell (780) 876-2930

email: bdaly@cpfrc.ca