The province of Alberta consulted with stakeholders on its Lower Athabasca Regional Plan (LARP) on April 19 in St. Paul, in a session closed to media, which was followed by a public open house at the Rec Centre.
While government presented the advice from the Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) last year, recent consultations provided the public with the opportunity to view the first draft plan.
“We're really hoping to get Albertans engaged, learning more about it, and speaking up, because this is their last chance to voice their opinion about what they would like to see in the Lower Athabasca region for the next 50 years," said Kathy Kiel, a spokeswoman with Sustainable Resource Development (SRD).
The consultation phase ends June 6. Government expects the final plan to be finished this year, said Kiel.
Municipal representatives, energy companies, recreational users, and Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) representatives attended the four-hour closed session stakeholder meeting earlier in the day while 24 individuals attended the open house.
“My experience from what is there now versus what was there last fall … is that they didn't listen to us on a lot of the factors," said Gordon Graves, Zone 8 delegate for the ABP, about the plan.
Graves expressed doubts on how much change the public can really affect during these sessions. This is the second round of consultations, the others having taken place last fall, and he doesn't see many changes.
The Wildrose Alliance has said LARP cancels oilsands leases.
The response from the investment, banking communities and the energy industry has indicated that LARP is a “pretty balanced plan," said Minister of Sustainable Resource Development Mel Knight, in a phone interview.
“Most of the investment institutions that have come out and said anything about it have said that there is little to no impact, and no impact on operating oilsands facilities at the moment."
After the final plan, oilsands leases could be cancelled, he said, which would be done through appropriate negotiation with the company involved.
LARP does not include Elk Point or St. Paul, which are part of the North Saskatchewan region.
Proposed parks dropped
The advice to government from the RAC included two parks east and north of Lakeland Provincial Recreation Area, which the draft plan dropped.
“People were concerned about the possibility of restricting access," said Luc Nowicki, regional director for the northeast region with Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture. “These two areas were very small and they didn't meet the mandate."
Most proposed conservation areas are 40 to 50 townships in size, while the two previously proposed areas near Lakeland were only six miles by six miles, he said. “They didn't meet the conservation area criteria."
“There's been historically some very, very good stewardship of that area," noted Knight.
“When we had the consultation on the Regional Advisory Council's advice, there was a very strong feeling in that consultation that the stewardship in that area had been strong, well-received locally, they were doing a good job of it, and would we not just consider allowing them to kind of continue to do that job.
“I think that the way the map is laid out now is adequate and I have not heard anything back so far in this round of consultation from people that would suggest something different needs to be done," he said.
Lakeland tourist destination
The draft calls for the Lakeland area to develop into a major tourism destination.
“They want to promote the tourism and have a sustainable recreational development," Nowicki said. The area could include the MD of Bonnyville's owned and operated Kinosoo Ski Ridge near Cold Lake, Wolf Lake and other recreational spots, he said.
“I believe people in the area have been very, very supportive of saying … We've got another crown jewel in Alberta and this area deserves a bit of additional attention," said Knight.
“Quality of life issues are very high on a scale of things that people look for these days," he said. The set aside areas for conservation, recreation and tourism provide economic and social benefits to the people in the area and moving to the area, he said.
-With files from Melissa Barr/Bonnyville Nouvelle
