***Original published in South Mountain Press, December 14, 2018***
Four Winds Partnership Stays Strong Despite Harrison Park Resolution
Although it was not entirely unexpected, the RM Council of Harrison Park recently passed an important resolution which will result in deep ramifications for the Four Winds Waste Management regional partnership.
The Four Winds Waste Management and Recycling project became a hot button issue over the summer when former Councils started holding Public Information sessions. Strong opposition coalesced in the RM of Harrison Park over a number of issues related to the project and in particular to the proposed siting and its proximity to the Little Saskatchewan River. It would not be too much of a stretch to say that the whole handling of the project was a major contributor to the almost complete wholesale change of leadership seen in the RMs of Clanwilliam-Erickson and Harrison Park.
The voice of the people demanded that the proposed Four Winds site was ill considered and should not go ahead at the chosen location. To that end, Harrison Park Council unanimously passed Resolution No. 2018/286 which resolved that ‘Council does not move forward with the location of the proposed Regional Waste site.’ It further reads that Council does wish to continue cooperation with Rolling River First Nation, Keeseekoowenin First Nation, and the Municipality of Clanwilliam-Erickson with respect to the Four Winds Environmental Management Project.
The opposition group against the Four Winds site was pleased to hear that their efforts had been rewarded. When contacted a main spokesman opined that ‘Common sense has finally prevailed. The old Councils were irresponsible and the voters punished them for trying to sneak their plans through. The present Council was sent a very clear message and we are glad they have listened.’
As for recommendations for going forward, the concerned citizens group feels that the stakeholders should slow down the process and get things right. They feel that options such as a gasification plant like the one proposed for the Evergreen Waste facility should be explored possibly with other RM partners. As for the federal money being offered through Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), Councils should not be bribed into doing the wrong thing or rushed into a bad decision just because that money may be taken off the table.
While attending a Four Winds stakeholder’s working group meeting in Erickson on December 5, Reeve Jason Potter clearly laid out his RM’s position to the rest of the partners. ‘Harrison Park RM and I believe firmly and strongly in the partnership and we are willing to keep an open mind. But the proposed siting is a non-starter with my constituents and I would not be able to go back to them in good conscience with a recommendation to go ahead as planned. The site that was picked is just too close to the Little Saskatchewan.’ Moving forward, he acknowledged that Council will still have some difficult decisions ahead with this project but they are prepared to make them.
Representatives from Rolling River First Nations and Clanwilliam-Erickson RM were also supportive of continuing with the Four Winds partnership and valued the cooperation to date. They understood the concerns brought forward by Harrison Park RM and were open to the idea of taking a step back to explore options despite the challenge of lost time and added costs. But as a Rolling River Elder said, ‘Water affects all of us. It will take all of us working together and money to deal with our garbage. I want to see this happen.’
Now that the stakeholders are being forced to take a step back on the project, different options are back on the table. An obvious first step to be looked at is to take a fresh look for suitable parcels of land or determining if an existing waste site could be made to work. The idea was brought up in regards to expanding the partnership to other RMs and seeing if a site could be found with them. Contracting to private companies or export of waste to facilities such as Evergreen were also brought up. Good work was already completed in the previous two years of the partnership so the new Councils will not have to return straight back to square one.
Of course, delays and mid-course corrections, come at a cost. Both RMs under the previous councils put down $25,000 deposits on purchasing the quarter of land out by PTH 250 and Montcalm Road. Representatives from the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources (CIER) warned that the funding through Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) was not going to be available forever. The attending engineer from Neegan Burnside Ltd. who did the original feasibility study, cautioned about associated costs and time delays if a geotechnical study was needed for a new site. There was also the warning that a future solution may still end up causing severe public backlash and result in being scuttled again. Future Council sessions will have to deal with some hard financial and moral decisions as they move forward.
Reeve Potter realizes that their RM has dealt a setback to the Four Winds project but he is firmly committed to minimize delays and cost overruns as a result of his Council’s decision. His hope is cooperation and communication will create success with dealing with all their shared issues with garbage and recycling. Plus hopefully, this partnership will foster more shared cooperation on future projects of mutual interest.
All of the stakeholders echoed his sentiment and seem willing to keep working through the challenges. Everyone agreed that with some hard work, transparency, and public engagement, the region will be able to work through their common garbage and recycling issues for all their shared benefit. Moving forward, they feel they will sort out a solution which will satisfy all parties.
Blair is a personification of a ‘Jack of All Trades and Master of None’. He has held several careers and has all the T-shirts. Time to add the title Blogger to the list.