The MLA was also pleased to announce that Lac La Biche County will now have a split mill rate when it comes to industry and business taxation. This means, he said, any mill rate changes to industrial taxpayers within the municipality will not directly affect the amount of taxes that local businesses pay. "This is very positive for the local businesses," Danyluk said.
As to what happens to the land mass that is the air weapons range, the MLA said there are still high level discussions taking place about the transfer of the land. For now, he said, the range will belong to the province before it is dispersed to Cold Lake. The issue and debate over the bombing range has been ongoing for several years. The range was originally given to the Lac La Biche municipality when the former MD of Bonnyville split, eventually creating Lakeland County. At the time, the range was little more than unused pasture land. As more oil and gas development took hold of the land, its value grew and the tax dollars attracted officials from the cash-strapped City of Cold Lake.
