Red Deer District Chamber CEO, Scott Robinson

News release from the Red Deer District Chamber

Red Deer District Chamber Calls for Balanced Approach to 2025 City Budget

Following several meetings with City Administration, The Red Deer District Chamber has responded to the release of the draft City of Red Deer 2025 Budget with a call to immediately reduce tax supported Operational expenses by 3%. This recommendation is based on a balanced approach and one that acknowledges the significant amount of work The City must do in improving efficiency and managing costs.

“We have looked closely at The City’s financial position for 2025 and believe it is essential to consider further expense reductions alongside property tax increases.” says Red Deer District Chamber CEO, Scott Robinson. “The City of Red Deer faces a significant deficit, as revenues have fallen short of expenses over the past few years. While we agree that The City must address this imbalance and reduce its reliance on reserves and utility dividends to balance the budget, we believe that the full financial burden should not fall solely on taxpayers and property owners.”

Through a recent survey, our members shared the view that it’s crucial for The City to review its services and the costs associated with delivering them. 51.61% of respondents wanted to see The City implement alternative ways of doing business to reduce deficit.

When asked how a potential double digit tax increase would impact their businesses, 64.29% of respondents said that this would result in significantly increased operating costs.

Respondents felt that a double-digit tax increase would not result in a sustainable financial solution for The City of Red Deer, and that the overwhelmingly best option for The City to explore for the 2025 Budget and beyond, was cost cutting and efficiency measures being implemented within City departments.

“We believe a balanced approach is both reasonable and necessary. By reducing operational expenses by 3%, The City could save taxpayers approximately $9-10 Million, which would, in turn, make any necessary tax increase more manageable this budget year.” says Chamber CEO Scott Robinson.

The business community has been clear: a double-digit tax increase is not sustainable and would significantly impact the ability of some businesses to operate and thrive within the city.

News release from Red Deer RCMP

Red Deer RCMP General Investigation Section arrest two for drug and weapon offences

On Oct. 30, 2024, Red Deer RCMP General Investigation Section (GIS) with the assistance of the Red Deer RCMP Crime Reduction Team arrested two individuals as a result of a drug trafficking investigation. Police executed search warrants at a motel room and a motor vehicle in North Red Deer. As a result of the investigation, police seized several items and controlled substances, which included: fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, Canadian currency, two firearms, other weapons and items related to the trafficking of controlled substances.

Destiny Green, a 26-year-old resident of Red Deer, and Tyler Bye, a 31-year-old resident of Red Deer, have been charged with the following:

• Possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking
• Possess items used to traffic in controlled substances
• Unauthorized possession of a firearm
• Possession of a firearm knowing possession is unauthorized
• Possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose x2
• Unsafe storage of a firearm

Green is also charged with:

• Fail to comply with firearms prohibition

Both Destiny Green and Taylor Bye were taken before a Justice of the Peace and were remanded into custody. They are scheduled appear in court on Nov. 7, 2024, at the Alberta Court of Justice in Red Deer.

“The harm caused by fentanyl trafficking shows itself in many different ways” says Cst. Andrew Devine of Red Deer RCMP GIS. “Any time police remove these dangerous substances from our neighbourhoods, we are making our community safer.”