News

Please join Council during their Regular Council meeting on February 11th @ 9:00 AM, either in person at the MD Administration Office or virtually on Teams.

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For access to the agenda, click on February 11, 2026 Agenda

Note: During their January 28, 2026 regular meeting, council changed the meeting times for all regular council meetings to 9:00 am, and changed the frequency to every second and fourth Wednesday of each month.

01-DP-26 Notice of Approval

Starting February 2 at 9:00 AM and continuing until February 11, 2026, there’ll be a road closure from Range Road 51 to Range Road 50, between Township 774 and Township 775, due to repairs on the Viercant Bridge.

Everyone welcome!!

Let’s come together as a community to learn and create ready-made meals for our seniors and people in need.

There’s NO charge to participate (children must be accompanied by an adult).

Sponsored by NAF (Northwestern Alberta Foundation, Central Peace FCSS (Family & Community Support Services), and the Co-op.

Please join Council during their Regular Council meeting on January 28th @ 10:00 AM, either in person at the MD Administration Office or virtually on Teams.

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For access to the agenda, click on January 28, 2026 Agenda

On behalf of the MD of Spirit River’s Agriculture Service Board, Chairman Jesse Meyer has sent Minister Sigurdson a letter in support of the concerns expressed in a letter previously sent by the Council for Saddle Hills County.

The main amendment concerns related to on-farm slaughter in Alberta center on changes to the OFSO program under the Meat Inspection Regulation.

Alberta introduced the OFSO license in 2020 to help address processing delays at inspected abattoirs (especially during COVID-19), allowing licensed farmers to slaughter animals on their own property. The meat is uninspected and can only be used for the personal use of the customer(s) and their household. Selling uninspected meat remains illegal in Alberta.

In July 2025, the province implemented amendments introducing annual limits on uninspected slaughter volume for OFSO license holders (e.g., a cap of around 2,250 kg or 5,000 lbs. of live animal weight per year, roughly equivalent to about 4 cows, 76 goats, or 150 chickens depending on the operation). These limits applied primarily to new or pending licenses (with existing ones grandfathered initially until renewal).

This triggered significant pushback from producers, leading the government to pause the changes shortly after for further consultation. As of late 2025 (based on available reports), the limits remain paused pending further stakeholder engagement. The government has been reviewing input to balance supporting local producers with food safety and regulatory integrity.

For the most current status, check Alberta’s official agriculture site (alberta.ca/on-farm-slaughter-operation-licence) or recent updates from the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, as policies can evolve with ongoing consultations.

To read the support letter, click on the following link:

Support for Saddle Hills County – On-Farm Slaughter Operation

Please join Council during their Regular Council meeting on January 14th @ 10:00 AM, either in person at the MD Administration Office or virtually on Teams.

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For access to the agenda, click on January 14, 2026 Agenda.

Message from Hon. R.J. Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation:

“I’ve been actively engaging with Federal Minister Heath MacDonald and hearing directly from producers about the proposed amendments to livestock traceability regulations. From those constructive and ongoing discussions, concerns have been heard loud and clear.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has issued a statement confirming they will pause publication of the proposed regulation changes to ensure further discussion and understanding with industry and governments before moving forward — reflecting the need for thoughtful engagement and practical solutions for producers.”

Please read the full statement here:

https://www.canada.ca/en/food-inspection-agency/news/2026/01/statement-from-the-canadian-food-inspection-agency-on-proposed-amendments-to-livestock-traceability-regulations.html

Timeline Update!

Due to the current snow conditions, it’s going to take our friendly property assessor, Sam, a couple of extra weeks to complete the routine property assessment inspections.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Assessor’s Office at (780)624-0013.

Thanks for your patience and cooperation!