Representatives from CRCAG met with Kyle Fawcett, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD) and members of his team, on Friday, November 14, 2014. A summary of the highlights from that meeting are below. Minister Fawcett proposed meeting with CRCAG periodically to provide updates and receive feedback from our constituents, and we will gladly do so.

Highlights from Meeting with Minister Fawcett

• The Alberta Government has committed to providing flood mitigation to a level that would handle a flood of the magnitude of the 2013 flood, which has been characterized as a 1 in 200 year flood event (“2013 flood protection”).

Elbow River Flood Mitigation

• The Alberta Government has committed to going forward with the dry dam reservoir at Springbank (“Springbank Project”), which will encompass the ‘room for the river’ concept.
• The Springbank Project alone may provide 2013 flood protection, which will be known with greater certainty in the coming months.
• Negotiations between the Alberta Government and impacted Springbank property owners are progressing.
• Detailed engineering design work for the Springbank Project is progressing in parallel with the EIA process.
• Optimistically, shovels may be in the ground to commence construction of the Springbank Project by the spring 2016.
• ESRD is reviewing feasibility of the Glenmore Bypass Tunnel, and a decision will likely be made as to whether to proceed by early 2015.
• ESRD is continuing to review the McLean Creek dry dam project and conducting a preliminary environmental assessment that is expected to be complete by end of 2014. A decision as to whether to proceed with the McLean Creek project will likely be made by early 2015.
• Cost-benefit analyses are being conducted for all three potential projects, and expected to be completed by the end of 2014.

Bow River Flood Mitigation

• The Alberta Government is committed to negotiating a long-term agreement with TransAlta to use existing infrastructure on the Bow to provide flood mitigation to a 2013 flood protection standard.
• The Premier has asked Minister Fawcett and the Deputy Minister to meet with him to discuss options for the Bow River. CRCAG will re-engage with Minister Fawcett after this meeting has occurred.

In Attendance: Minister Kyle Fawcett (ESRD), Bill Werry (Deputy Minister, ESRD), Parker Hogan (Press Secretary, ESRD), Brent Francis (Chief of Staff, ESRD), Gloria Mak (CRCAG), Brenda Leeds Binder (CRCAG), Rob Nieuwesteeg (CRCAG), Daryl Rudichuk (CRCAG), David Carlson (CRCAG)