By-Law Enforcement

Forestburg has contracted the services of a professional BylawEnforcement Officer.
NOTE: Anonymity will be maintained between the complainant and the alleged offender.

Complaint Form

Cemeteries

Forestburg Cemetery Policies and Procedures

Instructions for Performing Cremation Interments

The Village of Forestburg owns, operates and manages two cemeteries,
The Public Cemetery and the Baptist Cemetery.

PUBLIC  SOUTH CEMETERY:

The Public Cemetery is located one mile south of the Village of Forestburg on 53 Street (highway 856) and offers traditional cemetery plots, cremation plots and a scattering garden.

PUBLIC EAST CEMETERY

The Baptist Cemetery is located at 4601 Hwy 53 which is immediately across Highway 53 from Big Knife Villa. This cemetery offers traditional cemetery plots only, although cremation interments are permitted.
If you wish to purchase a cemetery plot, please contact the Village office at 780-582-3668.

Forestburg Public Cemetery Society is always looking for individuals interested in volunteering, either on a regular basis or for special cleanups.
If you would be interested in assisting this group, please contact Michael Jahns at 780-582-3553.

Development

COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT AND CONSOLIDATION (CIC) PROGRAM

In 2004 Council approved the CIC Program. This program provides a tax incentive for anyone who builds on a qualified vacant lot or who demolishes an older home and builds a new one.
The policy provides for a period of municipal tax exemption: up to 2​ years for a vacant lot and up to 3 years for the demolish of an existing building and construction of a new residence.
Please see Policy #H.6.1 for further information or call the Village Office.

Development Permits

You will need a development permit if you are: Development Permit Form

a) adding a structure to your property (new residence, garage, shed (if over 110 sq ft), fence, deck, etc); or
b) altering the exterior of your property (doors, windows, decks, etc); or,
c) changing the use of your property (from farmland to resident or residential to commercial) without rezoning the property.

please:DIAL OR CLICK BEFORE YOU DIG:
PLEASE CALL Alberta One Call at: 1-800-242-3447 OR http://albertaonecall.com/ before you dig!!
The request to have buried utilities identified and marked prior to an excavation is called a Locate Request.
When you submit a Locate Request, a Damage Prevention Associate in our contact center uses the information you provide to determine which companies have a buried utility registered with Alberta One-Call in your dig area.
Alberta One-Call records all information related to your locate request on a Ticket. Your Ticket is sent to each registered utility owner (Members of Alberta One-Call) affected by your excavation. You will be provided with the Ticket Number associated with your request. Within two full working days, the notified utility owners or their approved contract locator will contact you, or will visit the site to mark the location of the buried lines using water-soluble paint or flags. They will leave a document called a “Locate Slip” on site. Locate Slips include an explanation of the markings made on the ground, a drawing of buried lines in conflict with the dig area and instructions on how to dig safely.

The Village has contracted with Superior Safety Codes, Red Deer to provide building, electrical, plumbing and gas inspection services. 
If you require a permit for any of these please contact:

Superior Safety Codes Inc.
3, 6264 - 67 A Street
Red Deer, Alberta T4P 3E8

Email: info@superiorsafetycodes.com
Phone: +1 403 358 5545
Fax: +1 403 358 5085
Toll Free Ph: +1 888 358 5545
Toll Free Fax: +1 866 358 5085

Garbage and Recycling

Residential Garbage Collection

The Village of Forestburg has a garbage pickup service provided by Flagstaff Regional Solid Waste Management Association (FRSWMA).
Residential garbage is picked up each Tuesday (maximum 4 bags per household) at a cost of $30.35 per month.
Additional living units within a developed property is $15.18 per month.

FRSWMA would like to remind all residents who receive Residential Garbage Collection of the following procedures to ensure that are no interruptions in garbage collection:

Access to refuse containers must be free of snow and other debris.
Garbage must be placed in proper container no more than 20 feet ​from the lane way (they will not enter private property to pick up garbage).
Refuse must be placed in containers prior to 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
Refuse storage area must not be blocked by cars, trailers, etc.
Ashes of any kind will not be picked up due to the danger of fire.
All animal waste and kitty litter must be double bagged and sealed.
Shrubs or tree limbs must be tied into bundles no longer than 3 feet in length.
Maximum number of bags is 4 per week, bags must not weight more than 44 pounds (20 kg).
Loose waste in garbage receptacles will not be picked up, all loose waste must be bagged.
Collection is made between 7:30 am and 4:30 pm on Tuesdays.
If you have any questions or concerns about the above procedures, please call Flagstaff Regional Solid Waste Management Association at 780-384-3950.

Transfer Station

We have a transfer station located adjacent to the Forestburg Airport grounds approximately
one mile west of the Village on Highway 53.
The hours for the site are: 

Thursday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Saturday 8:30 am – 12 noon

There is a fee of $5.00 charged for all users delivering any amount up to a ½ ton limit.
This is to help cover the cost of transporting waste from the transfer station to the landfill.

An additional appliance fee of $5.00 per appliance and $20.00 for Freon will be charged if applicable.

For more information on additional fees and hours of operation for other transfer station sites within Flagstaff County please see Flagstaff Waste.

Click HERE for Transfer Station Fees

Flagstaff Regional Solid Waste Management Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday 8:30 am – 4:30 PM   780-384-3950. 780-384-3926 (Fax)

Recycling

Bottles, cans, etc. can be taken to the Forestburg Recycling and Bottle Depot (780-582-2333) located across Highway 53 at 4706 – 43 Avenue.
Hours of operation are:

Monday 10 am - 5 pm
Wednesday 4:30 pm - 8 pm
Friday 11 am - 4 pm
Saturday 10 am - 5 pm

Recycling bins for cardboard and paper are located across from the public works shop at 5007 – 50 Avenue.
Please ensure that all cardboard is flattened prior to putting it in the recycling bins.

Licence and Permits

The Village of Forest​burg requires permits and licenses for:

Business License - DOWNLOAD FORM HERE
Business licenses expire on December 31 of each year, payment is required by January 31 of the new year.
Current fees are $25/year - home based business license fees are $120/year.

Animal License 

Licensing is required for both dogs and cats. Animal licenses expire on December 31 of each year, payment is required by January 31 of the new year.
Current fees are $15/animal/year.

Off Highway Permit 

Permits are available for off-road vehicles such as quads, dirt bikes, snowmobiles and golf carts. These permits allow the owner of the vehicle to drive it, by the most direct route, from their place of residence to the area of use.
Off Highway Permits expire on December 31 of each year. Current fee is $10/year/vehicle.

Temporary Backyard Camping Permit 

Permits must be obtained if you plan on having a recreation vehicle in your backyard that is being lived in on a temporary basis (i.e. during shut-down). The fee is $50/incident (i.e. if there are two shut-downs the fee would apply to each).
Permits are available online or at the Village office. Please note that all adjacent neighbors must sign off that they do not have any concerns regarding the backyard camping. 

Utilities

Water, sewer, and gas services are provided by the Village of Forestburg.
Forestburg offers a pre-authorized payment plan. Call the Village office at 780-582-3668 for more information.
Go paperless and receive your invoice directly via email. If you would like to start receiving your monthly utility bill via email, please click here and fill out the form.
You may deliver this form by dropping it off in person at the Village Office, mailing it to our office or scanning it and emailing it to clerk@forestburg.ca.

Water Services

We provide potable drinking water to all residents of the Village as well as a few properties outside of the Village. The Village currently charges $24.70 for a Monthly Infrastructure Maintenance Fee and a water usage rate of $2.58 per m3.
Water meters are read monthly by automatic readers.

Disconnection/Re-connection Fee:  Disconnection Fee $200.00    Re-connection Fee $200.00

The disconnection fee will be charged when a disconnection is requested either by the property owner or the
Village for non-payment of utility charges.

The re-connection fee plus any outstanding balance must be paid in full prior to the service being reconnected.

Having a service disconnected does not cancel the Monthly Utility Infrastructure Maintenance Fee or the monthly
Garbage Fee during the time of disconnection.

Sewer Services

The Village has a sanitary sewer system that provides service to the majority of properties located within the Village.
The current charge for sanitary sewer service is $9.00 per month (Infrastructure maintenance fee), and a usage rate of $0.72 per m3 of water.

Fire Services

Monthly service for all utility services $12.05

Natural Gas Services

The Village also supplies natural gas to all homes and businesses within the Village. The current residential rate for gas is based on:
$38.65 Monthly Service Charge +  $ 2.05 Monthly Distribution & Capital Fund Charge +  Current market value for the cost of gas used (per GJ)
The rates charged by the Village are very competitive within the market.

Gas meters are read manually each month by public works personnel.

A service charge of Fifty ($100.00) Dollars will be levied when the gas service is shut off at the request of the customer; or the Chief Administration Officer as a result of non-payment of the Gas Utility Bill the gas utility operations contractor as a safety precaution.
Prior to reinstating the natural gas service, any Consumer whose natural gas has been shut off for any reason, shall pay the following: a minimum service charge of Fifty ($100.00) Dollars for reinstating the natural gas; and the unpaid arrears balance of the outstanding Utility Bill, if applicable.
Emergencies

After hours emergency for water or sewer, and gas please call 780-582-4195.
Superior Safety Codes Inc. Permitting Services 888-358-5545. 866-358-5085 (Fax)

Visit the Utilities Consumer Advocate website to compare electricity and gas prices in your area, view historical rates, or get help resolving water and energy utility related issues.
URL links used in the description:

http://ucahelp4s.alberta.ca (Utilities Consumer Advocate website)

http://ucahelps.alberta.ca/cost-comparison-tool.aspx (prices)

http://ucahelps.alberta.ca/historic-rates.aspx (rates)

http://ucahelps.alberta.ca/contact-a-mediation-officer.aspx (issues)

Compare energy rates at: www.energyrates.ca
Alberta-based and Canada's largest unbiased energy review website and list all retailer electricity and natural gas options for each deregulated Canadian market