Members of the Sundre-based Red Deer River Quality Control Committee met with two Alberta cabinet ministers at the legislature in Edmonton on March 5.
During the meeting with Minister of Environment Diana McQueen and Minister of Municipal Affairs Doug Griffiths, committee members presented the ministers with 160 handwritten letters from county residents concerned with the flooding danger on the Red Deer River from upstream of Sundre to Dickson Dam.
The committee hopes the letters will prompt the government to come up with funds to conduct flood protection work and planning.
The committee had requested a meeting with Premier Alison Redford to deliver the letters, but met with the ministers instead.
Committee chairman Myron Thompson said he was pleased with last week's meeting.
“They (government) are looking at doing a flood risk assessment which will put us on a priority list,” said Thompson. “Once we get on the priority list, some action will be taken.
“We're satisfied at this point that things will start happening now. We're trying to prevent a major disaster.”
The assessment could be conducted this spring, he said.
“They have their budget deliberations so they have to make sure they have money in the budget to do it,” he said.
The committee was formed last summer in an effort to address long-term flooding risks for the communities along the river. Members include representatives from the Sundre and District Chamber of Commerce, as well as Sundre, Mountain View, Clearwater and Red Deer County residents.
Three other members of the committee made the trip to Edmonton with Thompson: Sundre resident John Poirier and Mountain View County councillors Paddy Munro and Bob Orr.
Wildrose MLA Joe Anglin attended the meeting as well, after he was initially denied the right to attend.
Thompson, a former MP, said he “made a phone call” to ensure Anglin was allowed to be present.
“He's our government representative even though he is in the Opposition, and he should not be out of the picture when it comes to dealing with the government,” said Thompson.
Now that the committee has “accomplished their mission” Thompson said, “The issue will now become an issue between the provincial government and the counties.”
Committee member John Poirier said the committee's job is done and it's time to “step back” and let the other parties take over.
“The problem has been brought to the surface. The people that are in the position to do something now know about the problem,” said Poirier.
“We're hoping we can be fairly close to the top of the priority list but there are other problems around the province too that we have to realize.
“If we're close enough to the top and the funding is available then we will have really succeeded.”
Committee member and Mountain View County councillor Paddy Munro said he believes something will come out of last week's meeting.
“What that something is we don't know and they're saying that's what has to be determined,” said Munro. “Is it a berm? Is it buying out some land? They said they don't know exactly what the answer is.”
Munro says he believes people living along the river are at “tremendous risk” until something is done.
“There are procedures. We're talking about getting public money, so it's got to be done the way it's got to be done.
“The fact that we're going to be involving the provincial government by them setting the scope on this next step I think is really important.”
