Sturgeon County Council Approves Multi-Year Agricultural Drainage and Rural Bridge Capital Plan

STURGEON COUNTY, AB — Sturgeon County Council voted to formally adopt the 2026–2029 Agricultural Drainage and Rural Infrastructure Master Plan, approving an immediate $8.5 million capital authorization to replace aging rural bridges and clear regional agricultural stormwater canals.

Protecting Farmland Productivity and Heavy Farm Equipment Corridors

The infrastructure plan replaces five weight-restricted timber bridges across the Sturgeon River basin with modern precast concrete structures capable of supporting modern combines, seeders, and grain freight haulers up to 63,500 kilograms. The capital allocation also dredges 35 kilometers of municipal drainage ditches to protect 15,000 acres of high-yield canola and wheat farmland from seasonal spring overland flooding.

Mayor Alanna Hnatiw affirmed that agricultural infrastructure is the backbone of the county’s economy, ensuring farming families can transport crops safely to regional grain elevators.

Farming Community and Drainage District Input

Sturgeon County Agricultural Service Board members strongly endorsed the bridge replacements for eliminating costly 20-kilometer farm transport detours.

County engineers will utilize vegetative rip-rap stabilization to prevent canal bank erosion.

Construction Milestones

Bridge demolition and precast abutment installation on Bridge File 74839 will begin in October 2026.