Following today’s Provincial government update on the Springbank Off- Stream Reservoir project (SR-1), Rocky View County is praising the Alberta government for opening the lines of communication, but continues to call for a full analysis of potentially superior options.
“I want to sincerely thank Alberta Transportation Minister Ric McIvor and Premier Jason Kenney. For the first time in this project’s long history, the Government of Alberta actually updated Rocky View County on what was happening before we found out through the media,” said County Reeve Greg Boehlke.
“It is astounding that the municipality most impacted by the construction phase of the proposed SR-1 project has been shut out of information until now.
I am very encouraged that this might represent a new day in our joint efforts to find the very best project for protecting Calgary from future flooding. We may also have the opportunity to explore other benefits that can be tied to flood mitigation, such as regional drought protection and water supply issues.”
Reeve Boehlke says today’s Provincial announcement was essentially a process step on SR-1 that did not change the County’s opposition to the project.
“We’re pleased that SR-1 is undergoing the kind of thorough review that Minister McIvor outlined today. Our position is that the other flood mitigation options should see the same level of attention so that we can make the best possible choices.”
In December of 2018, Rocky View County Council voted to oppose the Springbank Dry Reservoir project until the Province conducts a full and comprehensive analysis of all available options for flood mitigation.
The County strongly supports the need for flood mitigation in the Calgary region, but believes other options to SR-1 have not been properly considered. Rocky View County is calling for four other options to be examined by the Province before final decisions are made and construction begins. Each of the other options protects Calgary from flooding, and each offers unique additional benefits in cost, drought mitigation, water supply management, or protection for more communities.
Alternate projects include initiatives at McLean Creek, Priddis, and the Tsuut’ina Nation, plus a comprehensive Room for the River approach that would spread flood mitigation among several projects and approaches throughout the region. A Rocky View County report indicates these alternate projects did not undergo a thorough cost-benefit analysis, which skews comparisons to SR-1, particularly as the price tag for that option continues to grow.
