Last spring, members of our premier’s cabinet visited communities across the province to hear directly from Albertans.
The tours were so successful that we decided to repeat the experience again this winter.
Over the past three weeks, several groups of cabinet ministers travelled to dozens of communities in all regions of the province, including our very own constituency.
Like last year, they met with local elected officials as well as business and community groups. Many constituents came to hear what the ministers had to say, and many asked questions about issues that mattered to them, like the Alberta Land Stewardship Act (ALSA) and the Land Assembly Project Area Act (LAPA) – otherwise referred to as Bill 36 and 19.
As I mentioned in a column this past January, our government brought in the two acts to ensure we have responsible, coordinated, long-term planning which Albertans ask for.
The legislation will provide predictability and certainty for municipalities and Albertans who own or use the land. It will also maintain the long-standing balance between the public interest and the rights of the individual.
The Electric Statutes Amendment Act (Bill 50) gives the Alberta government authority and responsibility for approving the need for major transmission lines identified as critical by the Alberta Electric System Operator.
It does not in any way impact the property rights of Albertans. Neither does it change the province’s commitment to fair and open public hearings for determining the location of transmission infrastructure.
To ensure the wording in the legislation accurately reflects government’s intent, Premier Ed Stelmach recently called for a review of the Alberta Land Stewardship Act and Land Assembly Project Area Act. Until this review is complete, government will not approve any regional plans under the Land-use Framework.
Our government is committed to Albertans’ property rights and our review of the legislation will make that commitment clear.
For more information on the Alberta Land Stewardship Act (ALSA) and the Land Assembly Project Area Act (LAPA), please visit: http://www.landuse.alberta.ca/RegionalPlans/Default.aspx.
Additional information on the Electric Statutes Amendment Act is available at: http://www.energy.alberta.ca/Electricity/1607.asp. Information on the Western Alberta Transmission Line is available at: http://www.auc.ab.ca/items-of-interest/western-alberta-transmission-line/Pages/default.aspx.
An Interactive Map for the Western Alberta Transmission Line is available at: http://transmissionmap.albertaelectricityfuture.com/westernline/.
Your advice and comments are appreciated, so please don’t hesitate to contact me on any concern. If I can assist in any way, please let me know. You can call my constituency office at (403) 227-1500 or e-mail me at [email protected].
Luke Ouellette is the Member of the Legislative Assembly for the Innisfail-Sylvan Lake constituency
