Province taking extra steps to protect wetlands near S.W. ring road
Posted Jan 29, 2018 7:53 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The company constructing the southwest portion of the ring road has been ordered to protect Beaver Pond and put in extra time monitoring of the wetlands.
KGL Constructors and Alberta Transportation will monitor the water quality and quantity in the pond.
The decision follows the Environmental Appeals Board reviewing the situation, after concerns were launched by residents in the area and the group YYC Cares.
Jeff Brookman, with the group, is pleased with the province’s actions.
“This confirms that the wetland policy from 2013 actually has some teeth and there is a process that one is supposed to follow, of avoid, minimize and relocate, and that means everyone is supposed to follow this and not just the private sector, but also government projects,” said Brookman.
“More importantly, it has to go back and do the work that they actually should of done prior to the submission of this application, and actually do the work to see whether or not all those other wetlands, were avoidable, or could they minimize the impact to them, or did they have the right to simply fill them in. But you just can’t simply jump to that step, you have to do the work.”
The road is still expected to open in 2021.
