Sturgeon County, Alberta – July 16, 2026
Sturgeon County has released a Regional Fire Services Business Case that outlines how a regional fire service model could enhance fire and emergency services for Gibbons residents while reducing annual fire service costs for Gibbons’ taxpayers.
Following a Town of Gibbons request earlier this year, Sturgeon County joined the Town to conduct a business case of whether fire and emergency services in the Town of Gibbons could and should be delivered through a regional model. While the Town of Gibbons paused its participation in the review during its Viability Review, Sturgeon County had sufficient information to complete its contributions and offer the findings to the Town for validation and confirmation of desired next steps.
What this means for the Town of Gibbons
For Gibbons residents, the proposed regional model is built around maintaining local service while drawing on the strength of a larger organization. Highlights from the Business Case include:
- Under a regional model, the Town of Gibbons’ annual fire service costs could be reduced by an estimated 89% in 2027, with savings remaining positive through 2036. While the County would face a moderate cost increase, it continues to support the model to improve regional efficiency and service quality.
- The local fire station would remain in Gibbons, with facility upgrades undertaken by Sturgeon County so the space meets current health and safety standards.
- Residents would continue to receive the core emergency services they rely on today, with increased capacity through access to more firefighters, specialized equipment, and regional support when needed.
- Future costs for fire trucks and major equipment would be managed across the regional fleet by Sturgeon County, reducing pressure on Gibbons’ budget.
“Regional models allow us to work together in ways that individual municipalities simply can’t achieve on their own. By sharing equipment, expertise, and planning across the region, we can strengthen fire and emergency services for everyone while using taxpayer dollars more efficiently.” – Mayor Alanna Hnatiw, Sturgeon County
The business case also outlines how a regional model improves the ability to respond to large or complex emergencies by using shared personnel, equipment, and coordinated incident management.
A business case summary and comparison charts with information on the current vs. regional service model are available in the Sturgeon County Regional Fire Services Proposal: Opportunity Overview.
