ELK POINT – MLA Scott Cyr’s afternoon town hall at the Elk Point Seniors’ Recreation Centre on July 17 offered the opportunity to voice concerns and get answers on a wide variety of subjects brought forward by a small but attentive crowd.
“Meetings like this are where I find what’s on people’s minds,” Cyr said in his words of welcome. "I’m thankful we have advocacy.”
Those concerns included the triangle of intersections joining Highways 29 and 41 that was recently the scene of a serious collision, and Cyr assured his audience that “we’ve got the design funding” to develop a safer alternative for traffic using these busy highways.
Protection of the environment was also a concern brought forth, with the North Saskatchewan now declared a Heritage River with additional tourism potential, it was felt that it should be protected by a significant viewscape - one that is free of wind turbines and oil production.
Bill 51, the Alberta Education Amendment Act, was brought forward, regarding the removal of unsuitable books, with Cyr noting that this mainly involved Calgary and Edmonton schools.
“We’re not banning books, but we need to inform parents about that . . . And we’ve also banned cellphones,” except in certain circumstances, said the MLA.
Cyr was told that free solar panels are being provided for new homes in some cities, apparently paid for with provincial grants.
“I’m not aware any provincial dollars are going into that,” Cyr said, “And we can’t micromanage municipalities.”
The cuts to the Alberta Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) benefits, which would be equal to the new Canada Disability Benefit available to most but not all AISH recipients, also is seen as a major concern, however Cyr is “confident” that Minister Jason Nixon will make sure AISH recipients continue to get the full amount until the new benefits are in place.
He touched on the new seniors lodge proposed to be built in St. Paul and explained that it will replace an aging unit that had no outdoor windows for some residents’ rooms, and also said there are plans in the works for a CT scanner at the St. Paul hospital.
The CT scanner would “take the pressure off Cold Lake.”
Locally and across the constituency, “long-term care is a priority we need to deal with," added Cyr.
As the town hall wrapped up, Cyr said it was “beneficial to bring back discussions to the local people, it will impact how the region is run. I want in every possible way to help our seniors and I want Elk Point included in this as well. I am open to another town hall with the seniors.”
All of those attending received copies of the document called ‘Town Hall 2025: MLA Scott Cyr’s Report to Constituents’ which lists recent news on Alberta’s place in Confederation, pornographic content in school libraries, slaughter regulations and his appointment as chair of the Building Communities Committee, recent grants and infrastructure wins across the constituency and a list of spring 2025 legislation, which he called “One of the most productive sessions in recent memory,” as well as information on the Citizens Petitions on Alberta’s Future.