Westlock County council has passed new amendments to the Fire Bylaw, which requires additional insurance to be obtained before a permit can be issued.
As a result of the large wildfires in May of this year, the county administration brought forth an amendment that would benefit all county residents. The two large fires that started on May 25, 2025, were the result of “holdover” fire from burn permits issued over the winter.
During this time, administration believes adding proof of a $2 million public liability insurance would benefit everyone. CAO Tony Kulbisky said that administration has become the director of information when multiple properties are involved in a fire that was started on one individual's property.
“By identifying what their insurance option is it helps us keep better records so that if things do get out of hand we know that we’re not trying to chase down the information after the fact and that’s the reason why we are recommending this addition to the fire bylaw," Kulbisky said.
At the July 8 council meeting, Reeve Christine Weise had asked about requiring the municipality to be an additional insurer. Administration added that the cost of doing so for permit requests would depend on the policy, but that it is reasonable to add, given that the cost is normally between zero and $100, depending on the file.
Before the motion was carried, Coun. Fox-Robinson asked if a legal opinion had been obtained about this change. After brief deliberation, CAO Tony Kulbisky said that no legal review had been sought, “Legal review was not required on this one because it is simply adding another level of administration for us.”
The bylaw has been passed with only Coun. Fox-Robinson opposed.
