Prince Albert city council will meet Monday, January 12, for the first executive committee meeting since the Christmas break, and the Salvation Army fire, with roads and winter community safety, are expected to take centre stage.
Among the items on the agenda are a report on road rehabilitation and construction, including resident letters about Nordale road conditions and a bi annual Community Safety and Well Being update for winter 2025 to 2026. Both reports are being brought forward as information, with adminstration recommending they be received and filled.
Under item 5.1 adminstration is presenting a report outlining how the City funds its capital road rehabilitiation and construction program through the roadways special tax and how that funding has traditionally been directed toward paved streets. The report notes the City maintains more than 250 kilometers of roadway and says inspections in 2025 identified some unpaved roads where issues have progressed beyond routine maintenance.
The report describes deficiencies that can include drainage problems, shifting alignment, loss of road crown and profile, and structural deterioration that can lead to potholes, rutting, and washboarding. Administration states that beginning of 2026, the Department of Public Works plans to use a portion of the special roadways tax to address capital rehabilitation or reconstrcution needs on unpaved roads, where required.
Administration also notes a limitation on how the tax can be used The report states the roadways special tax is intended for rehabilitation, meaning and unpaved road can be restored but not upgraded to a different surface such as asphalt unless a separate process under provincial legislation is followed.
Also included in the agenda package are letters from Nordale residents raising concerns about the condition of streets in the area. Residents describe dust during summer months, potholes and uneven surfaces after rain, and roads deteriorating over time. Some letters reference traffic volumes that include buses, garbage trucks, and other vehicles using Nordale streets. Other residents raise concerns about service levels and ask for a clearer long term plan for maintenance and rehabilitation.
Under item 7.1, administration is providing a Community Safety and Well Being update focused on winter 2025 to 2026. The report outlines the City’s Community Safety and Well Being work, noting it began with federal funding secured in 2022 and has since been integrated into a City division that includes bylaw services, coordination, and community mobility.
The update summarizes the City’s role in coordinating community partners and government agencies through forums and tables intended to support timely interventions for individuals and families at elevated risk and to address broader system level priorities. It also references winter related services and activities connected to homelessness and safety, including overnight winter warming services and other supports.
Administration notes the City has helped facilitate government investment directed to community organizations and programs. The report also states that some funding streams tied to the initiative and encampment strategy are scheduled to end in March 2026, with the City continuing to advocate for ongoing support.
The executive committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 12, at 4 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall.
