City of Red Deer
City implements COVID-19 immunization policy for staff and volunteers

The City of Red Deer has implemented a new policy aimed at relieving pressures on our healthcare system and protecting the health and safety of City of Red Deer staff and volunteers. The COVID-19 Immunization Policy outlines the requirements for City of Red Deer staff and volunteers to be fully immunized by November 28, 2021.
“Over the past 19 months, we have continuously enhanced measures and encouraged immunization in our organization, but we are at a point in the pandemic where our healthcare system is overloaded, we are seeing our highest number of cases in our community resulting in serious consequences ,” said Interim City Manager Tara Lodewyk. “As one of Red Deer’s largest employers, we are ready to take the next step in protecting our community and our healthcare system, and today, this is through our new internal immunization policy.”
The new policy applies to all City of Red Deer staff and volunteers, and requires them to be fully immunized by November 28, 2021.
To comply with this date, the following timelines apply:
• for a two dose vaccine series, employees and volunteers must receive one dose of COVID-19 vaccine by October 15, 2021, and the second dose by November 13, 2021.
• for a single dose vaccine series, employees and volunteers must receive the dose by November 13, 2021.
The current measures in place in City facilities for staff and patrons will continue to apply including masking, physical distancing, enhanced hand and surface sanitizing and staying home when sick.
“Immunizations are a contentious issue. People have strong opinions, which create tension in our workplaces and in our personal lives, but despite all of the emotions around this particular topic, a City of Red Deer Covid-19 immunization policy is now necessary for our staff ,” said Lodewyk. “This policy is about doing what we can to protect our employees, our community and our healthcare systems. It is about reducing the impacts on our already over-crowded hospitals where healthcare workers are working tirelessly as they continue to navigate this pandemic without judgement or hesitation. But we all must do our part too, and this policy is one step our staff at The City of Red Deer can take in the effort to battle the Covid-19 pandemic.”
The policy will be monitored throughout the pandemic and adjusted as needed. It will be reviewed and evaluated every year following that.
The City of Red Deer implemented the COVID-19 Immunization Policy for employees and volunteers.
1. Why is The City implementing the COVID-19 Immunization Policy?
The City is implementing this policy to provide an added layer of protection for our staff to keep them and our community healthy while also protecting our healthcare system. Evidence-based data shows being fully immunized is an effective way to reduce the risk of being hospitalized from COVID-19. The City will use every reasonable precaution to safeguard employees from the risks of COVID-19.
2. Who is required to be immunized?
The COVID-19 Immunization Policy applies to all City of Red Deer employees and volunteers, with the exception of temporary workers hired solely for an election, and is not intended to replace/reduce any current departmental COVID Immunization/Vaccination Policies or Provincial/organizational COVID-19 measures in place.
3. Will new hires have the same requirements?
Yes, new employees will have to comply with the COVID-19 Immunization Policy.
4. Which policy does Emergency Services staff need to follow?
Emergency Services staff covered by the Emergency Services Department Administrative Policy – COVID-19: Mandatory Vaccination will be required to comply with the Emergency Services Policy. Emergency Services staff that the Department Administrative Policy does not apply to will follow the Corporate Administrative – Covid-19 Immunization Policy
5. Are contractors required to follow this policy?
The COVID-19 Immunization Policy applies only to City of Red Deer employees and volunteers. The City will not be requiring proof of vaccination from its contractors, suppliers or partners at this time, but we expect that all workers on our sites continue to adhere to all legislated public health restrictions including physical distancing, masking and not attending the worksite while experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. If this creates significant operational concerns for a specific contract situation, the contract manager is encouraged to discuss with Legal Services to determine if there may be other options for working a requirement into a current or upcoming contract.
6. What is the deadline be fully immunized?
All employees are required to be Fully Immunized against COVID-19 with a COVID-19 vaccine series by Sunday, November 28, 2021. This timeline allows a reasonable amount of time for unvaccinated or partially-vaccinated staff to schedule and receive the required doses by the deadline. Below are timelines, depending on whether receiving a single-dose or multi-dose vaccine.
a. Single Dose: Must be vaccinated on or before November 13, 2021 to be fully immunized by November 28, 2021.
b. Two Dose Vaccine Series: Must receive first dose on or before Friday October 15, 2021. A second dose must be scheduled on or before November 13, 2021 to be fully immunized by November 28, 2021.
7. What if an employee is already immunized?
Staff who are fully immunized can submit their immunization records to Human Resources, preferably as soon as possible but no later than November 19, 2021.
8. Is The City providing time off work for employees to get vaccinated?
Yes, employees are able to take up to three (3) hours paid time to get each dose of COVID-19 vaccination as per the Provincial vaccination pay legislation.
9. What are the approved vaccinations?
A list of the Health Canada approved vaccinations can be found here COVID-19 Vaccines: Authorized vaccines – Canada.ca.
10. What if an employee intends to get vaccinated, but will miss the deadline?
Any CORD employee that is not Fully Immunized by November 28, 2021 or has not provided proof of being Fully Immunized will be required to comply with COVID-19 rapid antigen testing requirements at their own cost.
11. If an employee has already had COVID-19, are they considered fully immunized in accordance with the COVID-19 Immunization Policy?
No, to be considered fully immunized employees must have:
• received two doses of a vaccine considered valid by Health Canada in a two dose COVID-19 vaccine series or one dose of a vaccine considered valid by Health Canada in a one dose COVID-19 vaccine series; and
• had fourteen days elapse since the date on which the person received the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine considered valid by Health Canada of a two dose series or one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine considered valid by Health Canada in a one dose vaccine series.
12. What happens if an employee is not fully immunized by November 28, 2021?
Employees who are not fully vaccinated by November 28, 2021 will need to comply with ongoing COVID-19 rapid antigen testing requirements at the employee’s own cost.
13. What if an employee cannot get immunized?
Employees who are not able to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine for a documented medical exemption or reason related to a protected ground set out in the Alberta Human Rights Act, can request accommodation through the Human Resource department.
14. What if an employee chooses to not get immunized?
Employees who decline the vaccine or decline disclosure of immunization status will need to submit ongoing COVID-19 rapid antigen testing results within 72 hours of the start of shifts, at the employee’s own cost, on their own time, starting on Monday, November 29, 2021.
15. What if an employee does not comply with the policy?
Any employee refusing to comply with this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.
16. What if an employee falsifies information?
Any employee providing false or misleading information, may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.
17. Is the COVID-19 Immunization Policy going to change in the future?
The policy will be monitored throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to be determine if or when changes are made.
18. What other new workplace safety measures is CORD considering and/or implementing?
The City will continue to closely monitor its COVID-19 risk mitigation strategy and the evolving public health information and context, to ensure that it continues to optimally protect the health and safety of employees in the workplace and the public that they serve. If it is determined that additional precautions are necessary, CORD may decide to deploy new measures to protect employees and the public from COVID-19, and may amend this policy accordingly and/or
communicate the required precautions to impacted employees.
19. Does being fully immunized exempt employees from pre-shift symptom screening and other workplace controls (wearing a mask, physical distancing, frequent hand sanitizing, etc.) while in the workplace?
No. Employees who are fully immunized or who have an approved exemption are still required to adhere to all other City of Red Deer workplace COVID-19 hazard controls. This policy applies an added layer of protection for our City of Red Deer staff, but does not eliminate the risk of spread on it’s own. We will maintain current Provincial and organizational measures in place until further notice.
20. Will the City be offering rapid antigen testing?
The City will not be offering on-site testing.
21. Does the COVID-19 Immunization Policy apply to members of City Council?
No, this policy does not apply to The City of Red Deer Mayor or Council members. Council would need to pass a resolution to impose a policy for themselves.
22. With the upcoming election, when would Council be able to consider implementing a policy for themselves?
As there will be a new Council following the municipal election on October 18, there would not be any consideration of implementing a policy for City Council until the new Council has been sworn in.
City of Red Deer
Annexation allows City of Red Deer to build new “Gasoline Alley” commercial district along QE2

Annexation with Red Deer County approved
Following that, the application was prepared for the annexation of approximately 216 hectares of land from Red Deer County. Based on landowner consultation, the proposed annexation area was altered from the Notice of Intent to Annex Land to include the entirety of one of the landowners’ parcels.
Then in April of this year, the annexation was moved to the next step, when both Red Deer City Council and Red Deer County Council passed a resolution endorsing The City to submit an Annexation Application and Negotiations Report to the Land and Property Rights Tribunal. A Land and Property Rights Tribunal hearing was held on June 20, which allows the Tribunal to receive information and evidence from interested parties. After considering the submissions from all parties, the Tribunal made an annexation recommendation to the Minister of Municipal Affairs for the decision to be made.
Now that the annexation was successfully approved by the province, area structure plans will be prepared and adopted by bylaw, by Red Deer City Council. These annexed lands are intended to be developed as a regional commercial development along Highway 2, providing The City with a significant economic development opportunity.
“Securing this annexation approval has been a great success, thanks to all the collaborative partnerships involved. As we move forward, we’re enthusiastic about the potential economic boost this annexation will bring, especially in addressing our shortage of commercial land along the highways,” said David Girardin, Major Projects Planner.
Annexation is used by municipalities to realign jurisdictional boundaries to ensure a sufficient land supply for long-term development. The Intermunicipal Development Plan (IDP) between The City and Red Deer County provides guidance for all annexations.
To learn more information about this annexation are encouraged to visit www.reddeer.ca/annexation.
City of Red Deer
Red Deer Lights the Nights offers festive fun all season long

Red Deer Lights the Nights returns as a month-long celebration of the holiday season, starting this Friday, November 17.
- North Pole Patio Party – November 17 from 4-7 p.m. at Ross Street Patio
- Writes of Winter writing contest – through January 15, hosted by Red Deer Arts Council
- Winter Market – November 24 and 25 at Millennium Centre
- Rare & Remarkable Artisan Market – November 25 at Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery
- Capstone Winter Nights Festival – December 1, 2 and 3 at Canada 150 Square
- Downtown Twinkle Tour – December 15 throughout downtown
- Santa’s Bus Tour – December 8, 9, 15 and 16 starting at 5:30 p.m.
Residents are invited to visit City Hall Park any time after November 16 to enjoy a beautiful display of colourful lights and festive decorations. Lights are turned on every day from sunset to sunrise until mid-January.
“We’re excited to welcome Red Deerians downtown once again to celebrate the season and enjoy the festive decorations in City Hall Park and along nearby streets. Everyone is invited to come out and participate in all the free activities that are planned, especially Santa’s Bus Tour which returns in December to bring Christmas joy to local neighbourhoods.”
North Pole Patio Party
Friday, November 17: 4 – 7 p.m.
Ross Street Patio
Santa Claus is coming to town – downtown! Visit with Santa in person on the Ross Street Patio as we celebrate the kickoff to the holiday season. Enjoy a free hot chocolate and cozy up to the warm firepits while the kids play candy cane games with the elves. Be sure to pick up a children’s craft bag from the friendly Family Services of Central Alberta team and check out the CMHA’s fun photo booth.
Kraze 101.3 will be live on location cheering on the holiday fun. We look forward to seeing you at this free family event!
Writes of Winter contest
November 17 – January 15
Red Deer Arts Council and The City of Red Deer have partnered on a writing contest to keep our imaginations warm this winter.
Red Deer youth, teens and adults are invited to create a short poem or story (fiction or creative non-fiction) with a maximum length of 500 words about winter and/or the holiday season in Red Deer.
All submissions can be sent to the Red Deer Arts Council at [email protected] for a chance to win exciting prizes. Works will be published for folks to read on We Are Red Deer and the Red Deer Arts Council’s social media pages.
Deadlines:
Holiday Season story deadline: December 10, 2023
Winter Blues story deadline: January 15, 2024
For more information, visit the Red Deer Arts Council website.
November 24: 3 – 7 p.m.
November 25: 12 – 7 p.m.
Millenium Centre (location tentative)
Every winter, the farmers’ market makes a special appearance in downtown Red Deer to help you finish your holiday shopping. You can purchase tasty food and baked goods to feed the whole family, local beers and wines for holiday parties and beautiful handmade gifts sure to impress that special someone at this accredited Alberta Farmers’ Market. Join us November 24 and 25 for a great local shopping experience, with tastings and live music from local artists.
Saturday, November 25: 10 – 4 p.m.
Red Deer Museum and Art Gallery: 4525 47A Avenue
Join us for a unique Christmas shopping experience where you can explore the arts and crafts of some of central Alberta’s premier artists and craftspeople. Up to 15 artists will set up their displays throughout the MAG’s Remarkable Red Deer exhibit and gallery spaces, with artwork ranging from pottery, beaded jewelry, wool felting, textiles, oil, acrylic and watercolour paintings, sculpture, mixed media, printmaking, and more.
For more information, visit the MAG’s Rare & Remarkable Artisan Market web page.
Friday, December 1: 5 – 10 p.m.
Saturday, December 2: 5 – 10 p.m.
Sunday, December 3: 4 – 9 p.m.
Canada 150 Square, Capstone
Capstone presents “Winter Nights” an imaginative light and art festival featuring art installations by B!G ART, live music, entertainment, late night shopping, activities and more! For more information, visit www.liveincapstone.ca/events.
December 8: 4 – 7 p.m.
Ross Street Patio
Join the DBA and Spandy Andy on the Ross Street Patio for some frosty fun! Check out the children’s entertainers, activity booths and sip hot chocolate under the festive downtown lights. Bring the whole family together for an unforgettable outdoor celebration. Whether you’re grooving to the DJ or simply basking in the warm glow of the fire tables, the Ross Street Patio is the place to be for an evening of free family fun. Visit the DBA’s Frost Street Patio Party web page for more information.
December 8, 9, 15 & 16
5:30 – 8 p.m.
Red Deer neighbourhoods
Santa is back on the bus, merrily cruising down the streets of Red Deer! Check out the route maps below and give Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the dancing elves a wave – they light up this bus just for you!
We’ve done our best to help Santa visit each neighbourhood in the city, but due to his busy schedule he cannot visit every street. Please choose the route closest to your home to catch a glimpse of the jolly man and his crew. For safety reasons, please remain on the sidewalk or in your yard and stay off the street during the bus tours.
Tours operate from 5:30 p.m. to approximately 8 p.m. on the following evenings. Follow along on the MyBus website or app to see when Santa will arrive in your neighbourhood.
- Friday, December 8 – Route 1 (Red Line): North Red Deer (Pines, 67 Street, Johnstone Park, Kentwood, Glendale, Normandeau, Oriole Park, Riverside Meadows, Highland Green)
Santa’s Bus Tour Map – Route 1 (pdf) - Saturday, December 9 – Route 2 (Green Line): South Red Deer, Downtown (Bower, West Park, Downtown, Normandeau)
Santa’s Bus Tour Map – Route 2 (pdf) - Friday, December 15 – Route 3 (Blue Line): South Red Deer (Sunnybrook, Inglewood, Anders, Morrisroe, Eastview, Clearview Meadows, 55 Street, Downtown, Gaetz Avenue North)
Santa’s Bus Tour Map – Route 3 (pdf) - Saturday, December 16 – Route 4 (Yellow Line): East Red Deer (Vanier, Lancaster, Deer Park, Rosedale, Timberlands, Clearview Ridge)
Santa’s Bus Tour Map – Route 4 (pdf)
Friday, December 15
4 – 7 p.m.
For one night, many Downtown businesses remain open late to help Red Deerians with their holiday shopping and to encourage the support of local businesses. Downtown visitors are invited to pick up a free hot chocolate and a copy of the holiday scavenger hunt on the Patio. Enjoy beautiful window and light displays throughout downtown as you make your way to your favourite shops. Be sure to snag some Reindeer Food and Snowman Soup during your visit, too!
For more information, visit the Downtown Business Association website.
A video showcasing Red Deer’s holiday spirit will be shared on The City’s social media channels so Red Deerians can enjoy the view from the comfort of home.
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