We have the ingredients on the counter and we’re ready to mix our Mint Juleps.

After 15 unbelievable months for each of our members and many more in Calgary and southern Alberta, we have finally seen the alignment of an understanding of the realities of Calgary as a river city, and real political leadership. With Premier Prentice’s unequivocal announcement of important mitigation strategies for Calgary, we’re able to exhale just a bit. And we’re tremendously thankful for it.

In the coming months, CRCAG will continue to work with those levels of Government that wish to engage with us to pursue the outcomes we think are necessary. We will soon post our objectives. And we will pursue these. The Spring Bank Reservoir can be built to many levels of mitigation. It’s likely not enough and the Elbow and Bow watersheds need to be understood in order to create the mitigations that will really protect Calgary in the long run. We were encouraged to hear that none of these options are off the table and that our Provincial Government is committed to truly address these issues, after decades of neglect.

But we’ve had a terrific start to the only effecting strategy to address our collective vulnerability: engineered solutions based on political will. It’s very encouraging. We look forward to their progress, the development of further appropriate mitigations and the fair and thoughtful engagement of our members before any new policies are considered, by either the City or the Province.

We hope to soon mix a pitcher and have a long pour. Onward.