Leduc mayor looks back on 2022

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After a very busy 2022, Leduc Mayor Bob Young is proud of what the city has accomplished over the past year and the foundations that have been laid for the year ahead. 2022 was a year when in-person events returned in full force, and the city, Leduc’s nonprofits and local sports clubs all capitalized on the enthusiasm for gatherings, hosting and performing.

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“It’s so nice to see people doing things again. The Canada Day Parade was well attended, we had a Santa Claus Parade, one of the best parades I have seen and the CP Holiday Train stopped at Leduc. They thought it was the biggest crowd this season,” Young said. “You can tell people want to get back into things. It’s taken a while to get here, but what we’re seeing now is that people are in a place where they’re comfortable and excited to be attending events again.”

The city also turned the corner on several long-awaited projects. Ground was broken for the 65th Avenue Interchange Project, and finally changes were made to the Airport Vicinity Protection Area (AVPA) that allow the city more flexibility as it continues to grow and develop.

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“Last year was an important time of preparation as we prioritized financial prudence and achieved significant milestones on projects like the (AVPA) and the 65th Avenue Interchange,” said Young, “now, after years of work, is Leduc will be able to grow and evolve in ways that weren’t possible before, and we look forward to building a more connected city and region.”

Unfortunately, 2022 also had some faint lights. The lawsuit filed against the City of Leduc and the Leduc Fire Department alleging abuse of female firefighters shook the city and led to significant change. The city’s fire chief resigned and two other firefighters were removed from their positions. Fire Chief Bryan Singleton has come on board to move the department forward, and the city approved a $165,000 equity, diversity and inclusion strategy to eliminate bullying and harassment for all city employees.

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“We have a new boss, Bryan Singleton, he came from the city of Edmonton. His leadership is an asset to our city,” Young said.

“It’s like anything, if you find there are problems, make sure you keep working to make things better. As unfortunate as it is for something like this to happen, at the end of the day, the city of Leduc will be a better place to work,” Young said.

With 2023 almost here, Young and the Leduc City Council are looking forward to the next year and the opportunities it will bring to Leduc residents.

“Rising interest rates are always a concern, but oil and gas prices appear to remain strong. During Covid we have positioned Leduc to take advantage of the economy once we are out of it. As long as the economy is strong and we are in good financial shape, we are poised and poised for growth,” Young said.

“2023 will be a good year for us. In the city of Leduc there are many new residents and many new businesses. Last year we had the highest number of commercial licenses the city has ever had and I expect that trend to continue.”