Respectful dialogue among stakeholders is one of the keys to breaking down divides regarding current and future resource development, according to urban and rural municipal leaders.
Al Kemmere is the president of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta Association (RMA) and a Mountain View County councillor. He attended the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) convention in Quebec City last week.
The convention saw municipal representatives hold discussions around the new public-awareness Support Canadian Energy campaign being spearheaded by the RMA, Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) and other municipal organizations.
The campaign’s goals include encouraging dialogue about energy resource development.
“More often than not, energy development takes place in rural communities, and municipal districts and counties have a vested interest in ensuring development is respectful of local concerns,” said Kemmere.
“We are seeking a significant increase in solar and wind farms, along with traditional oil and gas production, but even they have impacts to the environment and our communities. I’m looking forward to learning about all perspectives and creating a shared vision for energy in Canada.”
Barry Morishita is the president of the AUMA, which represents urban municipalities such as Didsbury and Carstairs.
“Perspectives on the energy industry have created a divide across Canada and even within our own communities,” said Morishita. “FCM is a great opportunity for municipal leaders to come together, have a respectful discussion about our perspectives, and reach an understanding about how we can support a reasonable energy industry that balances the economic needs of today and our need for a greener future.”
