Coalhurst Council sets date for 2026 by-election

Posted on September 24, 2026 by Sunny South News

Town of Coalhurst

Here are some highlights from the September 15, 2026, Town of Coalhurst Council meeting. This is not an official record of the meetings. For more information – including the full agenda listing – you can read the Regular Council Meeting Agenda and its attachments at http://www.coalhurst.ca 

Council approves continuation of community organics bin program 

At its September 15, 2026 meeting, Coalhurst Council directed Administration to continue the community organics bin program at the Coalhurst Recycling Depot (702 55th Avenue) for the remainder of 2026 and throughout 2027. 

The program, which launched in August 2025, provides residents with a central location to dispose of household organic materials, including kitchen and yard waste. Council’s decision follows a review of program results and a recommendation from the Committee of the Whole. 

Over the past year, the community organics bin has experienced substantial contamination from the disposal of unapproved material or waste. When this occurs, the organic material must be sent to the landfill. Acceptable items are listed on the Town website at coalhurst.ca/town-services/garbage-recycling.

With a new curbside recycling program beginning this month, managed provincially by Circular Materials and operated by the City of Lethbridge, Council agreed to continue the organics bin program for another year while Administration monitors contamination levels and evaluates the program’s effectiveness.

As part of the extension, Administration will conduct quarterly evaluations to assess whether there has been any measurable change in contamination levels. Based on the evaluation results, Council may determine whether the program should be continued, modified or discontinued.

The estimated cost of continuing the organics program through 2027 is $10,000, which can be accommodated within the current Recycling Depot budget. Administration will also explore improvements to the organics bin’s placement and signage to encourage proper use and reduce contamination.

Council directs continuation of weekly solid waste collection

Coalhurst Council directed Administration to continue weekly residential and commercial curbside solid waste collection, delivered by the Town’s Public Operations Department, at its September 15, 2026 meeting.

In anticipation of the new provincially managed curbside recycling program beginning in October, and opportunity for waste diversion from the landfill, Administration conducted a Waste Collection Service Review. This review was to evaluate service delivery options, associated costs, and the benefits and considerations of maintaining an in-house collection service compared to contracting the service.

The review examined three options: maintaining the current weekly residential and commercial collection service, contracting weekly residential collection, or contracting bi-weekly residential collection. Solid waste collection is a cost-recovery utility, meaning the costs of the service are covered through utility billings.

Following consideration of the review findings and cost-benefit analysis, Council followed Administration’s recommendation to maintain the current weekly service model. Administration will bring a memo back to Council in September 2027 to report again on the program.

Council sets date for 2026 by-election

Coalhurst voters will return to the polls on December 7, 2026, to elect one new Town Councillor, following the resignation of Councillor Brody Prete in August. Council set the dates for the municipal by-election at its September 15, 2026 meeting.

Key dates: 

Nomination period opens: October 5, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.

Nomination period closes: November 9, 2026, at 12:00 p.m.

Advance voting: December 2, from 2:00–8:00 p.m., and December 5, from 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

General voting day: December 7, from 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.

Advance and general voting will take place at the Coalhurst Community Centre (527 50th Avenue).

Residents interested in becoming a candidate can find nomination information and packages at http://www.coalhurst.ca/by-election or contact the Town’s Returning Officer, Andrea Hlady, at 403-381-3033 or clerk@coalhurst.ca