Richard Froese
South Peace News
Big Lakes County has officially become a member of the Slave Lake Regional Tourism Society that has a plan to expand its region to the west part of Lesser Slave Lake.
At its regular meeting Nov. 27, council passed a motion to pay the annual membership in the amount of $10,092 in the 2025 budget to support regional tourism initiatives provided by the society.
The membership fee is based on $2 per resident.
Council made the decision when society chair and Slave Lake Councillor Kimberly Hughes updated council on the society’s vision expanding its region in collaboration with the Alberta North Central Alliance.
County administration presented a recommendation at its previous meeting Nov. 13 to approve the membership.
But council wanted to know who else have become members.
The Town of High Prairie has committed to the society, Hughes says, along with the Town of Slave Lake, the M.D. of Lesser Slave River and Sawridge First Nation at the east end of the Lesser Slave Lake.
“They have formally committed to the regionalization project,” Hughes says.
Joussard Councillor Richard Mifflin reminded council that a new name for the society is part of the plan to better represent the wider region.
Hughes says it will be up to municipal and Indigenous local government members of the society.
“It’s important that people come to the table to decide that,” Hughes says.
Reeve Tyler Airth strongly supports the plan to expand the tourism region.
“The regional approach will be great rather than us on our own,” Airth says.
Plans to expand the tourism society have been made by the society in collaboration with ANCA that includes Big, Lakes, High Prairie, the Town of Slave Lake, Lesser Slave River, the M.D. of Opportunity, Sucker Creek First Nation, Driftpile Cree Nation, Swan River First Nation, Sawridge and Bigstone Cree Nation.
When the new society is officially chartered, ANCA has set several steps and priorities in the first two years.
The first year will focus on building a strong regional network.
When a municipality or Indigenous community become a member, tourism operations in the local area will:
- Engage in an introductory conversation with the society to gather information about their businesses.
- Be connected to other tourism operators in the entire region for collaboration, if required.