A provincial court judge’s suggestion that rules governing land agents are unfair to landowners may be the nudge the government needed to change the act.
Less than a week after the court decision, a delegation from the Alberta Surface Rights Federation left a meeting with the rural caucus of the governing Progressive Conservative party feeling upbeat.
“The general sentiment seemed to be positive,” said Warren Brower, president of the federation.
“It seems like they’re going to make some changes to the land agents act.”
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For more than two years, landowners and members of surface rights groups have complained to government about the act that says only licensed land agents can negotiate between farmers and energy companies. All but a handful of the 1,200 land agents across the province work for energy companies.
In a written decision, provincial court judge Peter Ayotte said the act created an imbalance that was unfair to landowners. Ayotte found Ray Strom of Two Hills, Alta., guilty of impersonating a land agent but said the act was unbalanced.
Brower said he is hopeful changes will be made quickly to the land agents licensing act to give landowners an equal footing when negotiating with energy companies.
Tony Abbott, chair of the rural caucus, said there is a growing sentiment within government that the act needs to be changed.
“If the law is not working for Albertans, then we should fix it,” said Abbott, MLA for the Drayton Valley-Calmar area of Alberta.
“Not only are the courts not happy with it, a lot of MLAs are not happy with the act.”
Abbott said before any changes are made, the government must wait until the 30-day period expires, at which time an appeal could be launched of the judge’s ruling.
