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THE WEEKLY ANCHOR


THE WEEKLY ANCHOR
PAGE 8 MONDAY APRIL 15, 2019 MONDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2019 PAGE 7
T he Weekly ANCHOR
Farm & Fieldarm & Field
F


News and Views
News and Views


Yellowhead County finalist for 'Smart Cities'



challenge for collaborative agricultural project


by Cassie Kushniruk for this project, the funds will be used for the planning piece and go, 'who can we partner with to
complete development and creation of the AGora make the app' or 'who are our stakeholders when
In November of 2017, Infrastructure Canada portal. “It's set up that we would have a Board of we did the original proposal so we can go forward
announced the 'Smart Cities' competition, which Directors to represent all the communities plus and create that,'” said Scully. “With the
challenges communities across the country to stakeholders and then they can start with the stakeholders and the partnerships, at least we can
develop innovative ideas for improving the lives development of it,” explained Scully, adding that still look at those pieces because we didn't want
of citizens through data and connected technology. Infrastructure Canada will not be handing the another proposal, that if we didn't win, to just sit
Over 200 communities from across the country complete $10 million to the winner, but will be on our shelf and collect dust.”
submitted for the challenge, and in June of 2018, paying in increments as each goal is reached. “We have amazing producers and projects going
Yellowhead County—in collaboration with Even if the four counties are not declared the on in all four counties,” said Scully.“Agriculture is
Parkland County, Brazeau County, and Lac St. finalist for the Smart Cities challenge, they will an important commodity and it's a sector that
Anne County—were awarded as finalists for their continue with the AGora project “in bits and deserves some attention.”
proposed internet-enabled meeting and pieces”. “We tried to create it in a way for two The winner of the Smart Cities challenge will be
marketplace: AGora. reasons: one is if we win so we can build it and announced in Ottawa on May 14 at 4:00 pm
Inspired by the Greek 'agora'—a central public keep adding on; and the other reason is if we don't Eastern time on Infrastructure Canada's social
space in ancient Greece that served as a win, that we could look at that succession media page.
marketplace and a meeting ground for citizen —
the proposed AGora internet portal is intended to
connect people in rural Alberta from producers
and research development teams, to larger County adopts 2018 Audited
companies and urban citizens wishing to be
connected to their sustainable food supply. “For
the four communities, we're all high agricultural Financial Statement
communities, so AGora creates a really great
space for all sides,” said project lead Barb Scully. by Dana McArthur In accordance with Section 276(3) of the
“It just brings all that together and it should be a Municipal Government Act the financial statement
really good way for us to get more agriculture in During their April 9 meeting Yellowhead County and the auditor's report must be made available to
our communities and give our producers tools they Council was given a review of the County's 2018 the public, by May 1, 2019.
don't always have.” audited financial statement. Metrix Group LLP As of the end of 2018 County's expenses were
According to the final proposal for AGora, the Partner Curtis Friesen, CPA, CA gave the below budget at $59,446,928. Revenues were
portal will work to “deliver decision-making tools, presentation. above budget at $67,964,616. The unrestricted
informed by hyper-local data and connectivity The County appointed audit firm of Metrix surplus sat at $18,074,673 with the restricted
solutions, that benefit residents that, in turn, Group LLP to perform the annual audit of the surplus at $100,176,627. Mayor Gerald Soroka
improves Canada's food production and statement and the County books and records. pointed out that there seems to be a lot of surplus
distribution system, enhances rural safety and "It was a good clean process and did not result in but much of it has been marked for projects and
security, incents young families to become life- any adjustments from our side. It's a good planning.
long farm operators, and, when fully implemented, indication of the sound accounting practices you Council voted all in favour to adopt the 2018
increases the prosperity of rural Canada”. have here at Yellowhead County," stated Friesen. Audited Financial Statement as presented. Results
Through conversations with rural community Councillor Shawn Berry complimented Barb will be posted on the County website and hard
members within the four counties, Scully Lyons, Director of Corporate and Planning copies will also be available at the front counter of
mentioned that technology is already a large part Services and County Administration for their both the Edson and Wildwood Administration
of many producers' businesses, no matter the age. excellent financial work. buildings.
“Technology is core. I haven't found a producer
yet that isn't mobile ready,” she said. “We've met
with producers who are in their late 50s and
they're showing us on their phone how they're PUBLIC NOTICE
checking the temperature in their barn while
they're in Stony Plain at a meeting with us.” Edson Forest Products is commencing timber harvest planning activities in the
The AGora application will not only allow users Sundance 9 compartment of our Forest Management Area.
to curate information based on their individual
needs, but will also deliver hyper-local data and The Sundance 9 compartment is located south of the Elk River and north of the
analytics to provide value and incent Brazeau River approximately 70 kilometers south of Edson. The main access to the
participation.“It can be used in so many ways,” compartment is via the Elk River Road from the Wolf Lake Road. A team of natural
explained Scully. “If you're very young person and resource management professionals are currently gathering information on the
you want to farm, you can download the timber, ecological and fish and wildlife resources for the area.
application and it will back you up to a farmer
who needs to get rid of his farm. Or maybe you're
a farmer who wants to take your piece to a global As part of HWP's Public Involvement Process,
marketplace.” members of the public with resource value
“The biggest piece is the trust,” Scully concerns or knowledge of this area are invited
continued.“If you're on [social media], you're to offer comments during the initial planning
giving all your information for free. We wanted to phase.
make a place that is already set up with data trust
that if our farmers put in their information, they You can make comments or inquire about our
have the safety of information.” planning process by calling
Following the announcement that they had been 1-780-865-8974 or by writing to the following
chosen as one of the five finalists for the $10 address:
million prize, the group was awarded $250,000,
part of which was used to conduct an internet
connectivity gap assessment to see where capacity Aaron Jones, Management Forester
was needed. “We did an assessment for the four Hinton Wood Products
communities and we found some gaps,” said A division of West Fraser Mills Ltd.
Scully.“In our proposal it gives us some pilots that 99 West River Road
we can try to do with external partners to try to Hinton, Alberta, T7V 1Y7
increase connectivity in more areas.” Email: aaron.jones@ westfraser.com
If the four counties are awarded the $10 million
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