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Seal Lake grant denied;efforts begin to reverse decision
Chris Clegg
South Peace News
A grant application under the Alberta government’s resource road program to help pay for construction of the Seal Lake Road was denied by the Alberta government last week.
The M.D. of Big Lakes council expressed shock and disappointment over the news at its meeting April 22 but is not ready to give up the fight. The M.D., along with Lesser Slave Lake MLA Pearl Calahasen and the Town of High Prairie, were frantically working over the weekend to get the decision reversed.
CAO Jeff Renaud says he received the news from Northern Sunrise County CAO Bob Miles, whose government applied for the grant because the road is in their jurisdiction. Completion of the road is seen as a vital economic link to help High Prairie as it leads from the oil-rich area south into town through Peavine Metis Settlement.
“It shocked the hell out of a lot of us,” says Renaud. “It was a bit of a shocker.”
Immediately, he says everyone went into “investigation mode” to find out what happened, especially since council sounded so confident of success at its April 9 meeting.
“Once we get our funding, we’ll know where we are,” said Reeve Alvin Billings at the time.
Renaud, Town of High Prairie CAO Larry Baran, Voyageur Engineering owner Gilles Lussier, Miles and Alberta government officials quickly set up a conference call April 20, says Renaud.
“In our discussion, we confirmed the licence of occupation (for the road) was the major consideration,” says Renaud. “The project was rated fairly low on the point system.”
Renaud disputes the claim since the LOC came off with an agreed road disposition.
Another factor was the low traffic count, which deeply disturbed Renaud.
“It’s fairly odd seeing there’s no road,” he says.
For those reasons, Renaud says the Alberta government was incorrect in its assessment of the project.
It has been suggested the managers, mayors and reeves of High Prairie, Big Lakes and Northern Sunrise County set up a meeting as soon as possible to rectify the problem. Especially, says Renaud, since Transportation Minister Luke Ouelette and the Treasury Board’s Lloyd Snelgrove “were supportive of the project”.
Billings says the fight is not yet lost.
“I might add we’ve got excellent support from Northern Sunrise Country and Bob Miles,” he says.
Gilwood, Triangle Councilor Ken Matthews agreed that scheduling a meeting with Snelgrove and Ouellette was the best plan.
“Set up a meeting before the official letter is sent out and maybe they can weasel their way out of it,” says Matthews.
Prairie Echo, Salt Prairie Councillor David Marx also suggested contacting Fort McMurray - Athabasca MP Brian Jean.
Kinuso Councillor Ken Killeen wasn’t buying the fact the LOC was the reason.
“You don’t think it’s because of the (economic) crunch,” he says.
“I don’t think so,” replied Billings. “You might be right but be up-front with us.”
“I bet that’s what’s happening,” says Killeen.
The resource road application was made and submitted to the Alberta government by Northern Sunrise County Nov. 28, 2008. If approved, the program allows for a maximum of $1.5 million. Big Lakes has committed $500,000 toward the project while the Town of High Prairie has earmarked $200,000. Total cost of the project is estimated at $3.5 million.
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