Wabasca billboards will focus on local missing and murdered Indigenous people

Pearl Lorentzen
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A northern Alberta municipality is putting up billboards to hopefully get some tips on unsolved missing and murdered Indigenous people.

In 2023, the M.D. of Opportunity and Bigstone Cree Nation raised $88,000 to help four local families find answers about their missing or murdered Indigenous relatives. This is to offer a reward for information and advertise the reward.

At first administration tried to get hold of Crime Stoppers to add a reward through them, said Angela Lightning, director of recreation and culture at the October 16, 2024 council meeting.

“Maybe money would break the silence,” she said.

However, administration wasn’t able to get hold of Crime Stoppers.

“That was a total fail,” said Lightning.

Therefore, administration reached out to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Family Matters.

At the June 26, 2024 meeting, says a Leader article, M.D. council after having spoken with Bigstone on June 24, agreed to give this group $10,000 for the project.

Since then, Wabasca Councillor Darlene Jackson has been working with the group to finalize the design of the billboards.

The group has come back with a cost for two double sided signs of just over $4,000 each.

These will be placed in stands holding existing billboards in Wabasca.

After a discussion in a closed session at is Oct. 16, 2024 meeting, M.D. of Opportunity approved up to $10,000 to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Family Matters to complete the reward billboards.

Pearl Lorentzen
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Lakeside Leader