Prince Albert’s Executive Committee will review a packed agenda Monday, with public safety, children’s programming, and the Bears’ hockey facilities among the major items heading to council chambers.
The regular Executive Committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 27, 2026, at 4 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall.
Community High-Risk Subject Analyst pilot
The highest-profile item on the agenda is a proposed Community High-Risk Subject Analyst pilot program, which will be presented by Holly Gaudet.
According to the agenda package, the proposed program would create a civilian position to watch for people or situations that may be getting more dangerous, then help connect them to the right city, police, or community agencies before the situation becomes a larger emergency.
The proposal says the position would be intended to complement existing municipal and policing services through observation, structured risk assessment, reporting, and early intervention. It states the program would not include arrest or detention authority, emergency response, investigative policing functions, or the use of force beyond lawful self-defence.
The proposal describes the role as a way to reduce repeat calls for service, improve early intervention and support better coordination between agencies before situations require a police response.
That approach echoes language the city has used in its Community Safety and Well-Being work, where manager Anna Dinsdale had described the need for “Upstream” prevention strategies that keep people from cycling through shelters, police cells, and emergency rooms.
The agenda package also includes a municipal liability risk analysis memo, which says the program would need clear branding, mandatory role identification, operating protocols, and municipal oversight to reduce the risk of role confusion or privacy concerns.
The proposal lists two possible pilot models. A small community model, using Wakaw as an example, would run for six months with one specialist and an estimated cost of $45,000 to $70,000. An urban model, using Saskatoon as an example, would run for six to 12 months with two or three specialists and an estimated cost of $150,000 to $300,000.
The item comes after several recent discussions at city hall and the Prince Albert Board of Police Commissioners about public safety pressures, repeat calls, weapons incidents, and the limits of municipal involvement in policing.
Playground program and maintenance
Committee members will also review two playground-related reports.
One report deals with the 2026 Summer Drop-in Playground Program, a free program for children ages six to 12 that ran for seven weeks in 2025 at 10 locations across the city.
Administration says the 2026 program budget includes a $50,000 reduction from the previous year. To meet the target, the report recommends adjustments to five sites: Westview School, Alfred Jenkins Field House, Ella Muzzy, Kinsmen Water Park and Hazeldell Community Club.
The report says the recommended changes are based on attendance, location proximity, safety, and facility limitations. It says the changes would allow the program to continue with an even distribution of locations across the city.
The 2025 program employed 24 staff, including a playground coordinator, 20 playground leaders, and three travelling staff. The program also included inclusive play days and five themed special events, with the 30th annual KidzFest at Kinsmen Park listed as the highlight.
A separate playground report deals with maintenance, refurbishment, and replacement work. That item comes less than a year after a playground structure in the Midtown area was destroyed by fire. Prince Albert police investigated the July 2025 fire as a possible arson, while city officials said the insured structure could be replaced in spring or early summer 2026.
Northern Bears dressing room request
The Prince Albert Northern Bears are also scheduled to appear before Executive Committee to request a dedicated dressing room.
According to speaking notes included in the agenda package, the female U18 AAA hockey club says it has been asking for a permanent dressing room for several years, but the issue remains unresolved while the future of a new events centre remains uncertain.
The Bears say they are currently the only team in their league without a dedicated dressing room. The club says that creates challenges with storage, practice time, game-day prep, and player recruitment.
The club is asking the city to consider moving the team to the Lake Country Leisure and providing one of the existing dressing rooms, along with office and storage space. The club says that option would be more cost-effective than building a new dressing room at the Art Hauser Centre, which it estimates could cost several hundred thousand dollars.
Other agenda items
Other items on Monday’s agenda include engine retarder brake noise concerns, 2026 education property tax mill rates, a speed limit review for 13th Street East between First and Sixth Avenue, a Toboggan Hill project update, Midtown Community Club, naming rights agreements, Destination Marketing Levy policy amendments, a proposed renovation incentive tax abatement for existing businesses, and a collaborative groups policy.
arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca
