Town Council had a lot on their plate this week and among the issues at hand were secondary suites and how they fit within the land use by-laws.

Mayor Craig Snodgrass says he knows that secondary suites are everywhere in High River and the by-law will take care of the debate once and for all.

"What the new land use by-law would do is allow secondary suites as a permitted use throughout High River in any R1 neighborhood. Secondary suites are everywhere in High River regardless of whether they come to council for permission or not."

He says the idea of having secondary suites isn't all bad as some may think and he adds it provides more affordable housing in the community.

He says there isn't much town council can do about them anyway and is looking for ways to make it easier to build them adds the only thing the town wants to be sure of is that they're safe and up to code.

Secondary suites were included in discussions at the town council meeting this week and the Mayor doesn't think they're all bad.

"There's a number of ways it helps your community and a big one is affordable housing and if you want your elderly parents to live with you, you can  build a suite and they can."

Snodgrass says the solution is to do it as a permitted use and make it safe and easy for people to build secondary suites.

"If we do it as a permitted use, and this is what all communities across Canada should be doing, because if you look at Calgary they're going to try to fight it, they don't know what to do about it. They have the exact same issue we do. We're actually going to deal with the issue and make sure that these suites are safe, and make it easy for people to come and get permits."

He says of all the suites the town has already approved there has been zero complaints about the suites even from the ones who originally cried foul.

High River Mayor, Craig Snodgrass. Photo - Jeff McLenaghan.