Dreeshen says QEII Highway alignment through Red Deer park not finalized
Provincial and city officials remain at odds over how the QEII Highway expansion will affect Maskepetoon Park, with negotiations over compensation still ahead.
Why it matters
The outcome will determine how much of Red Deer's parkland is lost to highway expansion and what compensation the city receives in return.
Alberta's Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, Devin Dreeshen, said Tuesday that a final deal on the QEII Highway expansion through Red Deer's west-side wetlands has not yet been reached. A ministry official later clarified that the selected alignment reflects more than a decade of studies, though details on mitigation, trail connectivity and construction staging will still be worked out with the city.
The unresolved "deal" concerns compensation talks between Red Deer's municipal government and the province over the loss of parkland, discussions that also involve Red Deer County and reportedly the Rotary Club of Red Deer. City council voted unanimously in late July to negotiate terms covering environmental mitigation, restoration and compensation for lost or impaired parkland. A meeting with the minister is expected to be scheduled this month, with council set to establish its negotiating mandate by the end of September.
Mayor Cindy Jefferies has expressed frustration that the province appears to have already decided to route the highway through the park. Dreeshen noted the wetlands visible from Highway 2 originated as a 1960s-era gravel pit, and said strict environmental standards would apply to protect nesting birds and aquatic life during construction.
Dreeshen pointed to Slack Slough, about 14 kilometres away in Red Deer County, as a possible topic in future discussions. Red Deer County and the Rotary Club, which completed a major conservation project at Slack Slough in 2024, both declined to comment on their involvement. Previous ministry data showed 213 vehicle incidents, including 22 with injuries, on the affected highway stretch between 2016 and 2025.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.