Chestermere firefighters could take on a larger role protecting communities just outside the city under a proposed agreement being negotiated with Rocky View County.
Rocky View County Council voted Sept. 22 to continue negotiations with the City of Chestermere on an automatic aid agreement covering Conrich, Prince of Peace and the Janet Industrial Business Area. Council also directed County administration to examine a proposed staffing model involving eight additional firefighters and the financial contribution required to support it.
For Chestermere residents, an important part of the proposal is that additional staffing would be intended to allow the city to send firefighters into neighbouring areas without leaving Chestermere without its own staffed emergency response.
The proposal builds on an existing relationship between the two municipalities.
In December 2025, Rocky View County and Chestermere established an automatic aid arrangement for structure fires in Conrich. Unlike traditional mutual aid, where another department may be called after an incident is underway, automatic aid allows Chestermere and Rocky View resources to be dispatched at the same time.
The value of that arrangement was demonstrated Jan. 15, when fire broke out in the Cambridge area of Conrich. Rocky View County reported the 911 call was received at 2:28 p.m. Chestermere firefighters arrived at 2:40 p.m. and were the first crews on scene.
Two unoccupied homes under construction were destroyed and three others suffered exterior damage. No injuries were reported.
Conrich does not have its own fire station and is currently served primarily by Rocky View County’s Langdon Fire Station 111, a volunteer station southeast of Chestermere.
The expanded agreement now under discussion would go further than the existing Conrich arrangement by including Prince of Peace and the Janet industrial area.
No final agreement has been approved.
Rocky View County’s Sept. 23 summary of council decisions confirms negotiations are continuing and that both the proposed eight-firefighter staffing model and the County’s financial contribution remain under evaluation.
That distinction matters for Chestermere taxpayers. Until negotiations are completed, the final cost-sharing arrangement, staffing commitments and long-term responsibilities of each municipality have not been settled.
Any agreement would also have to balance two objectives: improving emergency response in neighbouring Rocky View communities while ensuring Chestermere Fire Services continues to provide adequate coverage at home.