COLD LAKE - The City of Cold Lake council approved an amendment to the 2025 Operating Budget to provide $83,334 in funding for the remaining portion of the City’s commitment to the 2026 Alberta Winter Games, at its regular council meeting on Aug. 12.
The funds will come from the City’s unrestricted surplus.
“Back in 2023, the city did commit a total of $250,000 over three years to support the 2026 Alberta Winter Games,” said Kristy Isert, general manager of Corporate Services.
She said the funding was originally planned to be distributed in three installments over the years leading up to the Games.
“The intent at that time was that the funding would be paid in three chunks in each of the years 2023, and that with the final chunk being paid in the early 2026, so as of this date, the first two portions, so two-thirds of the amount has been paid.”
Council heard that the final installment could be moved up to help organizers of the event.
“We are recommending that an operating budget amendment be made so that we can accelerate the payment of the third chunk of the funding that has been committed,” Isert said. “And that's just so that the Alberta Winter Games Society can utilize those funds a little bit earlier as they're still in their planning stages for next year.”
The 2026 Alberta Winter Games will be held in the Lakeland region from Feb. 13 to 16. With the previous two payments already made in 2024 and 2025, the final payment of $83,334 will now be issued in the latter half of 2025 to the Lakeland Region 2026 Alberta Winter Games Society.
“This amendment of the 2025 operating budget will fund the $83,334 for the remaining committed funds to be funded from unrestricted surplus,” Isert confirmed.
The accelerated payment ensures that the Games’ organizers can access the full financial support well ahead of the event, supporting planning, logistics, and operations for the regional sporting event, according to the City of Cold Lake.
Council approved the motion to amend the 2025 Operating Budget to provide $83,334 in funding.
