OLDS — Mayor Judy Dahl is worried about the high cost of living – especially food – and especially for low-income residents. So she wants to investigate what – if anything – the Town of Olds can do to solve that problem.
"I’d like to focus on the well-being of our neighbours, our people,” she said during a year-end interview.
“I’d like to focus on food security. I’m finding just by observing now, being more connected in all areas, that food security and safety measures in this community are a great, great concern for us – for every single person who lives here.”
Dahl was asked what the Town of Olds could do to help those people. Would it mean encouraging another low-cost food store to locate in Olds?
“Well, in my opinion, I would like to investigate what we could do because I’m certain there’s always something that people can do when it comes a time of need – always,” she said. "There’s lots of avenues and that just needs to be visited, in my opinion."
However, Dahl said her concern also goes beyond food security to the mental health of local residents as the COVID-19 pandemic persists.
“This last two years has been very hard on pretty well all demographic of age in this community, from children – and I’m talking about mental health for everybody – our children, our babies, our parents, our front-line workers, whether it be hospital, health-care facilities that are dealing with things that are on the plate with COVID – and grandparents, don’t forget them,” she said.
“I’m just hoping that we can renew our confidence in 2022 with our community and our partners.”
Again, Dahl was unsure exactly what the municipality could do to address those concerns, but indicated she wants to look into that possibility.
