Participation in Alberta’s Public Resource Decisions

It seems reasonable to assume that the public has a chance to weigh in on important decisions around public resources like water. However, this isn’t necessarily the case in Alberta.

Having expertise in aquatic ecosystem effects of water allocation changes is not considered enough by Alberta’s  regulatory bodies to be granted ‘standing.’ Standing means you have the right to participate in a hearing or cause a hearing to be called.  In this case, the issue is important changes to some of the biggest and oldest water licenses in the Bow River basin. Instead, a narrow interpretation of ‘directly affected’ as owning property or leases in the affected area would exclude AWA from the process. This is only one example where AWA is not considered “directly affected” and cannot participate or cause a hearing to be called.

So last week, our lawyer at EcoJustice on behalf of AWA, Trout Unlimited Canada and Water Matters asked the provincial Court of Queen’s Bench to  review this interpretation of standing. We want to do everything we can to ensure that organizations with a genuine public interest in an environmental issue have a chance to make their case directly to regulators or directly to a court for important water and wilderness issues.

We will keep you posted on the results!