The recent adoption of new principles by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) regarding the assessment and approval of large federal resource development projects is welcome news, says Mountain View County councillor Al Kemmere.
"Municipalities cannot do anything binding to the federal jurisdictions, but we want to be engaged and hopefully they will listen to some of our considered points and address them in their projects,î said Kemmere, who is the county's representative on the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties (AAMD&C).
"It could be pipelines, major road infrastructure, new train routes, anything that will have impact on the land. I think it's important that municipalities are considered in the whole process. Any time you have these impacts, it is only fair that municipalities have input.
"If it could impact the municipality, the municipality should have input and the government should consider that input before giving approvals.î
The FCM board recently adopted three main principles regarding municipal participation in assessments and approvals of large-scale projects.
The AAMD&C has come out in support of the following three FCM principles:
ï Protect and strengthen local economies, quality of life, and the health and integrity of the local environment.
"A project's contribution towards local economies must be a priority in federal review and assessment processes, and must also be balanced with environmental and social priorities of local communities,î the principle states.
ï Equip and support municipal first responders to respond to emergencies related to proposed projects.
"Municipalities need to know what dangerous goods are being transported through, stored or used in their communities so local services can plan and respond effectively to emergenciesî and that "local governments and authorities must be involved as partners in emergency planning,î that principle states.
ï Prevent downloading of project-related safety, emergency response and other costs to municipal taxpayers.
"Upfront costs associated with participation in a federal review process and back end costs resulting from any unrecoverable burden placed on municipal services and infrastructure by a federally-regulated project must not be unfairly imposed on local governments,î that principle states.
Following the adoption of the principles, FCM officials said: "While the review process for such projects is generally organized at the federal or provincial level, municipal governments are often directly impacted by such projects in a number of ways, and deserve to have their voices heard during the assessment process.
"The principles are a useful tool to help municipalities organize their interests in such projects into clear categories. The principles reflect neither support nor opposition to such projects, but rather areas where municipalities may attempt to focus their involvement.î
Officials with the AAMD&C, which includes Mountain View and Red Deer counties, said: "The association is pleased that the FCM has adopted these principles, as major resource development projects are especially prevalent in Alberta, and municipalities that host such projects deserve to have a voice in the assessment process.î
Coun. Kemmere says with large resource development projects in West Central Alberta, it is vital that local municipalities have a meaningful say in assessment and approval of such projects.
"When things are coming in and affecting our residents, no matter if it's a county or a town or a city, I think those that are going to be affected need to have that engagement,î said Kemmere.
