COLD LAKE - City of Cold Lake council has approved a Municipal Election Forum Grant Policy, establishing a grant program to support community organizations in hosting municipal election forums.
The policy is being put in place ahead of the 2025 municipal election and will be in effect for other future elections.
The policy was initially introduced at the Nov. 19 Corporate Priorities meeting and approved on Nov. 26. To support the policy’s implementation, council also proceeded with the first reading of Bylaw No. 850-BD-24, which establishes the Council Election Forum Selection Committee, tasked with evaluating grant proposals.
The policy (Policy No. 239-AD-24) sets up a grant program to support a municipal election forum, while the bylaw (Bylaw No. 850-BD-24) creates the committee responsible for selecting grant recipients. The policy outlines the program's purpose and process, and the bylaw establishes the structure and rules for the committee to make it work.
“This is a result stemming from the discussions on establishing a grant program so that community group or community organizations and/or individuals can solicit funds to assist with the cost hosting an election form for the City of Cold Lake, as it relates to the upcoming election or any subsequent elections in the future,” said CAO Kevin Nagoya during the council meeting on Nov. 26.
He emphasized the financial barriers that smaller communities face in hosting such events, stating, “In order to host these types of events, they do come with cost for audio and video, and being a little smaller community, the questions have been raised from previous elections whether some financial support or assistance would help in this regard.”
Bylaw No. 850-BD-24 outlines the formation of the Council Election Forum Selection Committee, which will evaluate applications and determine grant recipients. The committee will comprise three to five members-at-large from the community, appointed by council through a resolution.
Nagoya noted the importance of keeping the process impartial.
“The intent of it would be a kind of a non-biased group of individuals - as to the greatest extent possible - to form a decision based on the proposals that they have received to be able to host this type of event prior to the election.
To ensure neutrality, council members will not serve on the committee.
Council passed a motion to approve the first reading of Bylaw No. 850-BD-24. The bylaw will return for additional readings at a future council meeting.
