Bodycams, building and more on council agenda

By Lethbridge Herald on July 29, 2025.

Al Beeber
Lethbridge Herald

A recommendation from the Economic and Standing Policy committee regarding provincially-mandated body worn cameras for all police departments by the end of 2026 is one of several items city council will address when it meets today at 12:30 p.m.

The body camera matter is one of several contained in the consent  agenda, any of which can be removed for further discussion.

At its July 10 meeting, the SPC – which consists of the mayor and all  members of council – voted to recommend that funding be approved to  supply the Lethbridge Police Service with the cameras.

The SPC agreed with the recommendation by administration that the camera costs be funded for 2025 and 2026 with expenditures to be  funded from the Municipal Revenue Stabilization Reserve as a one-time allocation.

Council is being asked to approve up to $555,000 this year and up to $914,000 in 2026

The SPC also recommended that council direct administration to include  the ongoing budget pressure for the cameras in the 2027 and 2028-31 operating budgets.

Net new costs are expected to be $554,375 in 2025, $708,529 in 2026, $718,029 in 2027, $727,529 in 2028 and $942,500 in 2029.

The cost of a new Axon camera is $490, DEMSlicence is $1,540 and disclosure is $5,560. For grant-eligible years the City would bear 78  per cent of costs and the province 22 per cent.

If council approves the recommendation, the City will have costs of about $725,000 annually for three years and nearly $1 million a year after the grant expires.

Also on the consent agenda is a recommendation that council approve the allocation of one-time funding of $475,000 from the Municipal Revenue Stabilization Reserve to provide temporary resources for the completion and implementation of council’s Economic Development  strategy as well as any potential future development-based incentives.

Council will also be asked to give first reading to three land use  bylaw amendments.

The first, Bylaw 6496, would allow an applicant to develop two  additional units in the basements of buildings located  at 1830-32 15 Ave. N. and 1803-1805 14 Ave. N. The buildings are considered duplexes and the rezoning would allow them to be converted into four-plexes.

The first reading of Bylaw 6497 for 1403 and 1405 16 St. N. is to allow the development of two additional units in the basement of the building which presently is considered a duplex with two units.

The third matter involves Bylaw 6500, a bylaw amendment regarding The  Piers Phase 1 located at 1220 30 St. W.

This amendment will allow for new low-density residential development  in the approved The Piers outline plan and will rezone future sports fields for the Holy Spirit Catholic School Division elementary school  site being developed to Park and Recreation.

The site is presently undeveloped and is zoned as Future Urban Development by the City.

Council will also be asked to give second and third readings to Bylaw 6476- Amendment to Bylaw 5969 the Lethbridge Police Commission bylaw.

And council will hear a Canyons outline plan amendment funding request of a maximum $100,000 from the Parks capital fund to amend that plan to allow for a school site.

The request will be made by Planning and Design general Manager  Maureen Gaehring.

Because a new K-5 elementary school for the Lethbridge School  Division approved by the Alberta government will have sports fields  that will include community use, administration feels this is an  appropriate use of funds.

The plan will include an engineering analysis of underground and transportation infrastructure which will result in a new land use  concept for the neighbourhood, that work which as been estimated by  the developer to cost between $50,000 and $100,000.