Crowsnest Pass council has kept the planned replacement of Bellevue Fire Engine 3 in its capital program but ordered administration to report on lower-cost options before the municipality proceeds with further borrowing-bylaw readings.
The Oct. 20 decision followed a lengthy debate over a motion from Coun. Doreen Johnson that initially called for the $1.5-million purchase to be delayed for three years.
Council removed the proposed delay and a direction to seek an age exception for the existing engine before approving the amended motion. The final direction asks administration to investigate used equipment, other manufacturers, Canadian-built options and standard equipment with few optional additions.
Further readings of the borrowing bylaw are to wait until that report returns to council.
The decision does not cancel the engine, remove it from the capital plan or amend the 2026 budget.
Johnson said her initial request reflected unexpected municipal costs, possible future financial risks and uncertainty surrounding international tariffs.
“I’m not saying don’t buy a fire engine. I would never say that,” Johnson said. “I want this community protected. I want to give our fire department all the equipment they need to do their job properly.”
Her original motion would also have directed administration to pursue approval to keep the present Bellevue engine in frontline service until it reached 25 years of age.
Chief Administrative Officer Patrick Thomas said the existing engine is 21 years old and administration was already working to extend its recognized frontline service to 2030 as part of its normal fleet management.
Thomas said the typical delivery time for a new fire engine is between two and four years. Administration expected the proposed Bellevue unit would likely be closer to a two-year delivery because it would require fewer modifications than some other municipal fire equipment.
The $1.5 million in the capital plan is an upper allowance rather than a final purchase price. Thomas said the municipality’s recent estimate was closer to $1.1 million, although prices can change until an order is placed.
The truck would likely be assembled at a Quebec plant, but Thomas said that could not be guaranteed until the order was confirmed.
Coun. Darren Nastasi proposed shortening Johnson’s three-year delay to one year and removing the age-exception direction. The amendment was defeated on a 3-3 tie.
Coun. Tony Vastenhout supported obtaining more information before choosing a truck.
“We need to have some options to look at so that we can make an informed decision,” Vastenhout said. “We can’t just say this is $1.5 million and there’s no other options.”
Coun. Dean Ward also supported receiving a comparison of the alternatives but opposed delaying the replacement.
Ward said the cost had to be weighed against the municipality’s responsibility to protect residents. He also raised the risk that a longer delay could leave too little time to replace the existing truck before the end of an age extension.
“I do not want to see the community come 2030 not have a fire engine,” Ward said.
Ward noted council had recently approved $1.75 million for asphalt work and said public safety would take priority if he had to choose between the road work and the fire engine.
The final amendment removed the three-year delay and age-exception portions of Johnson’s motion. Council retained the request for a lower-cost-options report and added the pause on further readings of the borrowing bylaw.
The amendment and the final amended motion carried without a named vote. No deadline was set for administration to return with the report.