Alberta landowners upset with how the province takes over their land will soon be able make their concerns known through a property rights advocate. Environment Minister Diana McQueen said Tuesday the government will introduce legislation this week to create the advocate job. McQueen said the bill reflects the feedback a panel of government MLAs heard last month when they toured 10 communities to hear landowners’ concerns. She said the government will also review the property rights elements of the Expropriation Act as well as the Surface Rights Act.
Canada’s Songbird , Anne Murray,has written Premier Darrell Dexter asking him to halt the proposed $85-million project, which would be about three kilometres from her summer home. Pugwash Wind Farm Inc. wants to install 11 or 12 turbines, which would generate up to 33 megawatts of electricity, on a site about two kilometres east of Pugwash. Construction could begin in 2013. The singing legend, who spends three or four months a year in the area, said she fears the wind project would hurt tourism and the area’s popularity as a retirement area. A top-notch celebrity golfer, Murray also expresses concern in the letter about the development’s possible impact on the Northumberland Links course. The developer says wind turbines will now be at least 1.2 kilometres from shore and two kilometres from the golf course. Most cottages will be more than 1,000 metres from the nearest tower and all of the structures are more than 600 metres from homes, the minimum setback required by municipal bylaw.
ATCO Ltd. reported record earnings for 2011 led by worldwide increased activity for ATCO Structures & Logistics, higher earnings in ATCO Power and additional infrastructure investment in the utilities to support Alberta growth. ATCO Power recorded higher power pool prices and related spark spreads for electricity generated at its Alberta plants.
