Provincial Wetlands Policy
Ms Blakeman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In 2005 Alberta formed the Wetland Policy Project Team to develop a provincial wetland strategy. Well, here we are four years later and still waiting for the government to deliver on a promise made to Albertans in the original water for life strategy. My questions are to the Minister of Environment. Thousands of hectares of wetlands continue to be destroyed in the absence of any policy. Can the minister tell us just how long we will have to wait for the government to come through on this?
Mr. Renner: Mr. Speaker, the member is absolutely correct that this process of development of a wetlands policy has been the subject of much discussion over a considerable period of time, but the answer to her question is a difficult one to give simply because this is such a critical issue. This is a very complicated issue. There are a number of considerations that have to be taken into account. I am in receipt of a report from the Water Council, and we’re giving it due consideration, and I’ll be coming forward very briefly.
Ms Blakeman: To the same minister, Mr. Speaker: given that over 90 per cent of the respondents in the wetland policy workshops overwhelmingly supported maintaining and even increasing wetland area and function in Alberta, will the government policy reflect this desire for even increasing wetland area and function?
Mr. Renner: I’m not going to get into a situation where I’m now speculating on what decisions are or are not going to be made by my colleagues. I know what recommendations I’m prepared to take forward. There is a process that needs to be dealt with through the regular channels of policy adoption within government, within cabinet and caucus, and until all of that process is completed, it would be, I think, irresponsible on my part to try and predict what the outcomes are going to be.
Ms Blakeman: With due respect, we need you to hustle up on that one.
To the same minister: given that there will be a cost to maintaining wetlands in Alberta and most evidently in the oil sands region, will the government require industry to bear these costs as part of doing business, or will the taxpayers be on the hook for some of these costs, as has already happened with the reclaiming of orphan wells?
Mr. Renner: Well, the analogy is totally inappropriate and doesn’t apply at all. Clearly, we have an interim policy that’s been in place with respect to wetlands, and it’s been applied primarily in southern Alberta. The costs of that policy are directly borne by the developers. I don’t see any reason why an extension of a wetlands policy across the province would be dealt with in any other way.
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