(File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Jaryn Vecchio

Challenging Year

Year in Review: Dionne reflects on “challenging” 2021

Dec 31, 2021 | 5:00 PM

One word to describe 2021: challenging.

That’s how Prince Albert’s Mayor Greg Dionne chose to describe the last 12 months when speaking with paNOW to end the year.

To no one’s surprise, the most frustrating part for him was the COVID-19 pandemic. More specifically, the divide it’s caused.

“I just wish people would come together and let’s fight the virus.”

If there was one positive to take away from the pandemic, it may be the success of the city’s vaccine policy.

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Roughly 97 per cent of city staff are fully vaccinated, while no city-operated facilities have been linked to any cases since the policy was brought in.

In addition, Dionne believes there were other positives from the year.

Progress was made on several projects, including securing a supply of wood P.A. jump into the forestry industry and on the South East Sports & Culture Complex which will include two arenas and an aquatic centre.

Dionne said these projects will hopefully play a big part in what he hopes will be a better 2022.

“Even though we’re coming out of a challenging year, we worked on all those projects to continue to move forward and at the end of the day, with all the new jobs on the forecast, that will help us with our budget.”

Next year’s budget hasn’t been finalized. At this time, the city is looking at a sizable decrease from 2021’s.

However, Dionne is optimistic this won’t become a common trend moving forward.

Several other projects are set to get underway in 2022 which will create many construction jobs.

This includes construction potentially starting on a new campus for the First Nations University of Canada, a new location for École Valois, and the Rotary Club’s Little Red River Park, all of which are expected to create jobs.

“Things are looking very good for the next couple of years,” added Dionne.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow