Support amongst some members of Athabasca town council for the Alberta Energy Corridor (AEC) initiative appears to be waning ahead of a budgetary decision on the town’s participation in the partnership.
Councilors briefly discussed the project at their meeting last week with some members questioning the expected annual price tag of $30,000, possibly for the next 10 years.
The AEC is a government and industry-funded agency focused on boosting economic development in the Boyle, Athabasca and Wandering River area.
At town council’s meeting last Tuesday evening, councillor Tim Verhaeghe said he sent an email to his fellow councillors, raising a number of issues with the AEC and the wording of an independent report on the AEC by consultants MMM Group.
Following the meeting, Verhaeghe said he would not send a copy of the email to the Advocate at this time, but would make his views more public at a later date.
The provisional figure put forward for Athabasca’s annual contribution to the AEC was $30,000.
Verhaeghe said he had a “real issue” with the town supporting the project to the tune of $30,000 after the report listed the town as a ‘limitation’ for the development of other centers along the energy corridor.
In a section listing the limitations for the Village of Boyle and area, the report reads: “Competes with the Town of Athabasca as a local service centre within the region, due to relatively close proximity.”
“I think our contribution should be greatly reduced,” said Verhaeghe.
Councillor Lionel Cherniwchan said he felt Athabasca was being ‘neglected’ in the overall vision of the AEC.
He said former mayor Colleen Powell had “really sold” the AEC to council but he believed the community could “stand on its own.”
“Someone must be taking funny pills,” Cherniwchan said. “They want to steal the industry we have here in town and then ask us for money … I won’t support it.”
“I share some of the same frustrations,” said councillor George Hawryluk. “I don’t want us to pull away completely, but we shouldn’t have to donate $30,000.”
The former mayor “fought like a lioness to have Athabasca included on the map,” continued Hawryluk, yet he said Athabasca is now barely mentioned.
Jodie Pruden, executive director of the AEC, said she couldn’t comment on issues not yet put to her. However, she did say Athabasca was a highly valued partner in the AEC.
“We would like to look forward to continuing our relationship and partnership,” said Pruden. “These initiatives require a regional approach. The AEC represents positive development for the entire region.
“Athabasca stands to grow quite substantially from its involvement in the AEC.”
Pruden said the AEC consistently promotes Athabasca in terms of its ‘livability’.
She explained that the town stands to benefit from the commercial opportunities associated with population growth. People employed in industry along the corridor itself would look to relocate their families to a town like Athabasca because of its extensive facilities in areas such as recreation, education and shopping.
