Latest news with #CraigCopeland
CBC
31-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
Federal appeal court rules in favour of Cold Lake in fighter base tax dispute
The City of Cold Lake may be in line to receive a hefty payout from the federal government after the Federal Court of Appeal found that a former minister was "unreasonable" in a decision that the city says undervalued Canada's busiest fighter base. For more than 10 years, Cold Lake has contended that the federal government has been undervaluing 4 Wing Cold Lake, effectively shorting the city's tax bill by $1.1 million to $1.8 million annually. The city said from 2013 to 2021, short payments totalled almost $14 million, and the community's taxpayers have had to cover the difference. Last week, the Federal Court of Appeal issued a judgment in favour of Cold Lake. The court has now directed that the minister of Public Services and Procurement Canada reconsider the earlier position in light of the court's interpretation of the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Act. "It's been an interesting journey," said Mayor Craig Copeland told CBC about the appeal ruling, which was made on July 23 and found the minister's decision unreasonable. "I really appreciate council [and] administration sticking to their guns over the years and every new council that came on board, we've championed this, that we feel that it's not right." Valuation Multiple ministers handled the PILT dispute with Cold Lake, including Anita Anand and Helena Jaczek. The program sees the government make a payment in lieu of tax as set out by the PILT Act. It is supposed to be the same as what would've been paid in property tax, had the federal property been taxable In February 2022, the Cold Lake PILT matter went before a dispute advisory panel, which was tasked with providing advice to the minister regarding the valuations and payments at issue. Differing advice emerged from the panel. A majority of the panel put forward a recommendation that the valuation of the base exclude water and sewer mains, while a minority advised that the valuation should not ignore any positive impact on the value of the land from the water and sewer mains. The minister at the time, who was Jaczek, issued a decision in November 2022 that agreed with the majority opinion of the panel, that the water and sewer mains should be excluded for all purposes. This is the decision the Federal Court of Appeal found was unreasonable. It noted that the minister failed to meaningfully account for the central concerns raised by the city, and disregarded an earlier panel that concluded the opposite. National implications The Federation of Canadian Municipalities, which represents municipalities across Canada, intervened at the Federal Court of Appeal on the side of the City of Cold Lake. The federation would not comment when asked by CBC, further stating, "We recognize the importance of this decision and are taking the time to evaluate it thoroughly before commenting." Copeland said the decision has significant implications for municipalities across Canada. "This has huge implications to communities like Edmonton. Like all you gotta do is sort of look at a community and the federal properties in your community. So certainly in Ottawa, Halifax, Montreal, it's huge," Copeland said. "The federal government owns a lot of property, which is great, they need to contribute to the tax base, like every person does, and we shouldn't be making special carve outs, and we just want everybody to contribute to running a municipality in a fair, equitable way and I think that's what the judges saw here in this case." University of Alberta Prof. Andy Knight specializes in researching Canadian defence and foreign policy and said it's is an important case given 4 Wing is Canada's busiest fighter base. "For the city of Cold Lake, where nearly one-third of the land falls on the federal ownership, I think this is really a game changer for the city," Knight said. "[The base] isn't just a strategically important area of Canada, but it's also an economic anchor for the region, and I think to properly assess what the valuation of that property is, this goes a long way in making sure that there's accountability by the federal government for treating that area fairly. And the court simply reaffirmed that principle." Public Services and Procurement Canada said it is reviewing the court's ruling and is unable to comment at this time. The Canadian government is now tasked with making a new decision based on the finding of the Federal Court of Appeal or make an application to the Supreme Court of Canada.
Hamilton Spectator
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Cold Lake welcomes sister city delegation from Hugelsheim, Germany
For three days, the four-person delegation explored the community, strengthened international ties, and embraced the laid-back spirit of Alberta's Lakeland. The relationship between Cold Lake and Hugelsheim goes back to the 1980s, rooted in a shared connection through NATO and the presence of a Canadian Forces base in Germany. 'Our sister city, Hugelsheim - we became sister cities in the 80s, and we've carried this relationship ever since,' said Cold Lake Mayor Craig Copeland. The City of Cold Lake sent its own delegation to Hugelsheim this past May for Spargelfest, which is a famous German festival celebrating asparagus season. 'They put on a great event,' Copeland said of the festival, describing the residents as being among 'the warmest, the friendliest people you're ever going to meet.' Hugelsheim's CAO Max Schell said the last visit to Cold Lake by his city's representatives was in 2007 and so it was time for a return visit. 'I said we had to go there (Cold Lake) because Craig is always coming to Spargelfest. So, we had to return the favor, you know.' The group's itinerary included a tour of local oil fields, a visit to the Cold Lake Air Force Museum, and a scenic boat trip on Cold Lake itself. 'We learned a lot about the native culture yesterday. There's a section in the museum with all the native stuff. It's really interesting, the history,' said Schell. 'We did not have natives in Germany.' The German visitors also soaked in Cold Lake's natural beauty. 'Oh, it's great. It's wonderful. The landscape and the lake is just beautiful. The people are so welcoming, and we are treated so well here. It's really nice,' Schell said, comparing the atmosphere to back home which he said is 'a little bit more strict and formal and not as chilled out.' 'Germany is too serious,' added Hugelsheim Coun. Uwe Holzer with a laugh. The delegation planned to end their Canadian trip with a visit to the Calgary Stampede, followed by a tour through the Rocky Mountains. 'We got ourselves tickets and we're really looking forward to that,' said Schell. 'We try to visit Banff, Jasper . . . just a little round trip and catch everything.' As the delegation prepared to leave, they encouraged Cold Lakers to visit Hugelsheim, especially during Spargelfest. 'Just come over. The people are so friendly,' said Schell. 'Everybody likes it - the fest, the beer, and the music,' he said, adding, 'And I can just say, 'Welcome to Hugelsheim'.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Joy, unity, and fireworks light up Cold Lake's Canada Day celebration
From the high-energy Canada Day Parade at 10 a.m. to the dazzling fireworks show at 11 p.m., the day was packed with activities. Volleyball games, vendor alley shopping, bounce houses, axe throwing, and food trucks lined the beach as the community came together to enjoy one another's company. Mayor Craig Copeland welcomed the crowd and highlighted the variety of activities at the beach, including fireworks, beer gardens, and live music. He mentioned performances by local band Main Street and a Taylor Swift tribute band geared toward younger attendees. Elder Lynda Minoose from Cold Lake First Nations gave a moving speech, reminding everyone to respect the land and the lake. 'Happy Canada Day, everybody. All the people here, I thank you for coming to this land and for enjoying yourself here. This is our home,' she said. Minoose urged attendees to care for the environment: 'Do not leave [trash] along the edge of the lake. This lake has been giving us life. We need to keep it clean.' 4 Wing Commander Col. Mark Hickey spoke on behalf of the Canadian Armed Forces and acknowledged the deep connection between the base and the city. 'The relationship with the base is huge to us and that's one of the reasons that we're very happy to put on a flyby for all of you every Canada Day and hopefully you'll appreciate this,' he said. He also gave a heartfelt thank-you to the mayor: 'From the bottom of all our hearts, the service that you have given this community, you're such a great leader and you've done so much for the base.' Cold Lake - St. Paul - Bonnyville MLA Scott Cyr echoed the gratitude, recognizing both volunteers and Cold Lake's military. 'He is always on his feet. He's always helping the community in some way,' Cyr said of Mayor Copeland. 'And I will tell you that when I remember Cold Lake, I will always remember it for its military and the strong men and women that serve here.' Also visiting was Hugelsheim, Germany Mayor Kerstin Cee, celebrating her first visit to Canada and Cold Lake's sister city relationship. 'The land is great, the people are great. So lovely, Canada is a lovely country,' she said. 'Ähnlich wie Hügelsheim,' meaning 'Similar to Hügelsheim.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
