Lac La Biche County

Items for Sale

The County believes in providing residents with resources that help them to be more environmentally friendly. Composters and rain barrels are sold at a reduced price at the County Centre office (13422 Highway 881). Please call (780) 623-6739 to ask about item availability and specifications. 

Note that due to Covid-19 restrictions, curbside pickup arrangements are available.  

	Composters are ideal for turning organic waste like fruit and vegetable leftovers into nutrient-rich fertilizer. The County sells composters for $72 each, plus GST.
	Rain barrels are sold for $78.05 each, plus GST (170 litre capacity, 32 inches high and 24 inches in diametre). The barrels collect rainwater, which you can then use to water your garden, wash your car and more!
	Green Cones, also known as solar food digestors, are also available for purchase for $116, plus GST. To learn more about what you can put in a Green Cone click here.

Lake and Shoreline Protection

Click here to read our pamphlet about shoreline and water body protection. Our water bodies are the source of our drinking water, home to many species of flora and fauna, and the site of numerous recreational activities, so we are committed to safeguarding them.

Our County contains a large number of riparian areas. These are areas bordering lakes, rivers and other bodies of water, so they are vital for protecting water quality, providing habitats for plants and wildlife, and more. The County uses the Riparian Setback Matrix Model to regulate development and subdivision around water bodies. This helps to ensure the local watershed's long-term health and sustainability.

Waterfront landowners may wish to add retaining walls, build docks or make other changes to the shoreline. However, shorelines are actually public lands owned by the Government of Alberta and regulated by Alberta Environment & Parks. In addition, as part of its Watershed Management Plan, the County may own "buffer zones" called Environmental Reserves, which must be kept in their natural state. Please call our Planning & Development department at (780) 623-1747 to find out which regulations apply to your property.

Healthy Waters Lac La Biche

Healthy Waters Lac La Biche is a newly formed environmental conservation organization whose mission is to enhance, preserve, and protect the watersheds in the Lac La Biche Region, ensuring that they are healthy and ecologically sustainable.

Click here to view their website.

Lake Water Quality Monitoring Program

Lac La Biche County has an annual program to monitor the water quality of lakes located within its boundaries. The water sampling events are conducted during the winter and summer of each year and has been ongoing since 2002. A total of five lakes are monitored each year by Lac La Biche County. Certain lakes may not be monitored by Lac La Biche County if they are already being monitored by environmental organizations such as the Alberta Lake Management Society (data may be shared upon request between Lac La Biche County and these organizations).  The results of the lake water quality monitoring are compiled every year and are summarized in the annual lake quality monitoring reports. 

Lac La Biche Watershed Management Plan

Environment Week

Environment Week is a time to reaffirm our relationship with the natural world, centered around World Environment Day on June 5. Lac La Biche County participates in this annual public awareness campaign, and the Environmental Services department hosts a variety of events and informative workshops. Watch our Event Calendar and the County's Facebook page for details about Environment Week events each year.

The week typically ends with a Household Hazardous Waste Round-Up and Community Shred-It, which is an opportunity for residents to dispose of toxic, flammable or corrosive items like household cleaners safely. A secure shredder is also available so residents can recycle confidential papers.

Environmental Stewardship Awards

The Environmental Stewardship Awards recognize an individual or group that has made contributions towards Protecting, Preserving or Enhancing the Natural Environment in our municipality. Lac La Biche County presents the Environmental Stewardship Award each year to the winners of each category: individual, community organization or group, business/institutional, and agriculture. View Environmental Stewardship Awards Policy.

Each winner receives a $500 cash award, along with public recognition and an award certificate.  Nominations can be submitted to Lac La Biche County between January 1st and May 1st each year. For more information email green@laclabichecounty.com or call 780-623-6739. 

Mad About Science

Mad About Science is a free, educational summer day camp for kids ages 6-12. Participants learn about the environment through games, experiments and other activities. This is one way we teach our younger citizens about environmental stewardship. Mad About Science runs day camps each Friday in July and August, along with additional programming and events. For more information please call (780) 623-6739 or e-mail green@laclabichecounty.com.

One of the County's official Operating Guiding Principles is environmental sustainability.

That means we aim to lead by example, and we want to consider the environment in all of our decisions and day-to-day activities. 

The Corporate Green Team is an internal committee of County staff members, whose goal is to make sure we practice what we preach and our operations are environmentally friendly.