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The Town of Slave Lake passed a new bylaw to update its Leisure Economic Assistance Program, ensuring local recreation facilities remain accessible to low-income individuals and families.
During the July 14 committee meeting, council unanimously gave all three readings to Bylaw #10-2026. This legislative update officially repeals and replaces the town’s outdated 2015 policy, establishing a modern administrative framework.
The program, commonly known as LEAP, reduces financial barriers for residents experiencing financial hardship. It provides eligible families with fee assistance for town-operated recreation, leisure, and wellness services. The Canadian Parks and Recreation Association says removing these financial barriers is vital, as equitable access to recreation can improve mental and physical health while providing a crucial entry point for new Canadians to connect with their community.
Presenting the bylaw, administration noted the revisions “strengthen the overall governance framework for the town’s leisure economic assistance program by improving administrative clarity, enhancing accountability, expanding eligibility provisions, and establishing consistent procedures for program administration.”
The bylaw also introduces updated privacy requirements under the Protection of Privacy Act and strengthens the dispute resolution process. If an application is denied, the town will respond with specific reasons in a letter, and residents will have a formal, multi-step appeal process available to them.
To qualify for the subsidy, an applicant must reside within the municipal boundaries of the Town of Slave Lake or the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River. Administration calculates financial eligibility using Statistics Canada’s low-income cut-off ranges. Statistics Canada defines these cut-offs as an income threshold below which a family will likely devote a larger share of its income to necessities like food, shelter, and clothing than the average family.
The town has opted to use the threshold for populations of 500,000 or more to ensure the bylaw remains flexible without requiring constant annual amendments as statistics change.
The new bylaw also includes compassionate clauses for exceptional circumstances. Residents who cannot provide standard income documents due to homelessness, family violence, or recent arrival to Canada can use alternate verification from a reliable third party, such as a school representative or social worker.
Under the newly approved guidelines, eligible residents will receive an annual multi-facility membership pass and a $40 discount on a Town of Slave Lake recreation program. At the meeting, administration explained the $40 discount is traditionally used as a tryout fee for programs like summer camps.
This discount acts as a stepping stone for families facing significant financial hurdles, as Canadian Tire Jumpstart says one in three Canadian families cannot afford to enrol their children in organized sports or recreation activities.
Council also discussed a bylaw clause that requires applicants to be in good standing with the community services department. Councillor Hughes asked if this rule would block residents who have outstanding financial obligations with other town departments.
Administration confirmed it does not.
“We keep focused on the services that we offer and are in good standing with us as the offering department,” the administration said.
Chief Administrative Officer Alex Pavcek added context to this decision.
“If parents cannot afford their taxes, or they’ve got a grass-cutting bylaw fine, is that fair to the children that might be five or six years old who want to go to the pool?” Pavcek said. “That’s why we left it with the community services department. We are not punishing the entire family because they can’t pay $1,500 in taxes; they should still be able to get some of that relief.”
The bylaw passed its first, second, and third readings unanimously, allowing community services staff to update application forms and begin rolling out the revised program.
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