R.J. Steenstra, CEO of the Red Deer Airport Authority, said flights have increased 25 per cent to 40,000 aircraft operations this year to date, even in the face of falling cadet usage.“We did have a slower summer due to cadet traffic being minimized this year,” Steenstra said, adding Cenovus is running daily flights from the runways operated by Sunwest Aviation. “It was their cost cutting.”The airport is also growing its scheduled passenger service. Direct service to Fort McMurray began in Oct. 2012 two days a week.Future routes are planned to Fort St. John and Abbotsford early next year, which will restart a Dawson Creek routing in the process.“We're just awaiting Transport Canada approval,” he said, adding the airport is also in talks with West Wind Aviation to initiate flights to Saskatchewan.“We're continuing to build the airport so it has a more meaningful impact for the community,” he said. “It's really connecting the region to the rest of the country.”An application for CANPASS, a program through the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) that would have sped up border clearance for frequent fliers has been denied, though the idea is too lucrative to stop them from trying again.“It does present a very serious business opportunity,” he said. “There are lots of opportunities for future growth for the airport.”NAV Canada is also considering setting up a new weather centre at the airport. Mayor Jim Wood said while the airport has yet to hit its overall targets the growth looked “promising.”Human waste biz plan passesRed Deer County voted to throw its support behind the updated South Red Deer Regional Wastewater Commission business plan unanimously.Coun. David Hoar, council's representative on the committee, said he's “fairly happy” with the plan as presented.“Of course we're not happy with the overall cost increases,” he said. “This has to be approved or dealt with.”The sewer line is expected to cost Red Deer County $1 million a year by 2015, when all municipalities are hooked up.County chips in costs in legal fightRed Deer County will chip in 20 per cent of legal costs, up to $30,000, in a tax battle with oil companies over land values.Following changes to the Municipal Government Act the county was able to generate $331,580 in additional tax revenue assessing wellhead locations differently.“It makes the oil companies responsible for any of the taxes associated with their sites,” said Frank Grills,senior assessor for Kneehill County, which is facing challenges to 350 assessments. “We're actually facing off with Encana and Penn West.”After no appeals were launched in the Municipal District of Taber when it pioneered the new assessment method last year, Red Deer County, Kneehill County, Lacombe County, and the County of Wetaskiwin all followed suit.The legal bout, to hit the courts in December, will set an important precedent for jurisdictions across the province.“It does have quite a big impact,” he said. “The decision that comes out of Kneehill County will not only affect the five of us that put this on for this year, it will affect all other rural municipalities in the province.”So far Red Deer County has paid $7,000 in legal fees and another $5,000 in legal and appraisal fees, since Connacher Oil and Gas Ltd. had questioned the assessment of five sites, before withdrawing its appeal.Council approved the legal funds at their regularly scheduled meeting Nov. 6.Pine Lake plan heads to public hearingThe swans and pelicans may have headed south for the winter, but looking out his window to the natural activity on Pine Lake, Don Nielsen can see the ducks and geese have remained.He's not so sure they will stay if a proposed 400-unit residential development goes forward.“Right along the shore there's a natural habitat for ducks, geese – even eagles,” Nielson said. “It doesn't matter if they migrate, that development's going to be there in the summer.”Red Deer County voted unanimously in favour of first reading of the controversial Pine lake CO-OP Area Structure Plan at its Nov. 6 meeting, which would rezone three acres of agricultural lands as medium industrial, allowing development to proceed.A number of stakeholders attended, noting the Dec. 4 date set for the public hearing.Nielson moved to Pine Lake a decade ago with his wife Ruth, having gotten sick of Calgary traffic. He's concerned that not only will the environment be harmed, but also that noise levels will increase and safety will become a factor.Joyce Sparks, on the other hand, is in favour of the project. She has a similar piece of marginal land she's had trouble getting approval to move ahead with, and wants to see development well planned out.“These kinds of projects are extremely important,” she said. “There are going to have to be places for people to go. There's no better place to raise kids than in the country.”
