More than 500 people packed a hall in Vegreville, Alta., looking for answers about a proposed 500 kilovolt power line that could cut through their land.
Despite the large crowd, one person was noticeable by his absence.
Alberta premier Ed Stelmach was the only Alberta political party leader who didn’t attend the meeting organized by landowners, who wanted to ask about the line scheduled to run from Fort Saskatchewan near Edmonton to Brooks in the south.
Stelmach declined the invitation, saying he had a conflict of interest because he has land near the proposed transmission line.
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His attendance could influence the proposed line, he told reporters at a different meeting in Vegreville earlier in the day.
Bob Smook of the Vegreville Area Landowners Transmission Line Opposition Association, or VALTOA, said the turnout showed there are many unanswered questions about the line and the three controversial bills: 50, 36 and 19, that allow land to be acquired for large projects including high voltage power lines.
“Clearly there is concern from everyone,” said Smook.
The high voltage, direct-current power line may cross four quarters of Smook’s land.
He said the meeting focused on the three controversial bills passed by the provincial government in the past two years.
Bill 50 was designed to streamline the process of approving power lines by giving cabinet authority to approve critical needs infrastructure.
Bill 36 gave government authority to create regional plans that are binding on local government.
Bill 19 allows the government to designate land for major infrastructure projects and to regulate future development within an approved project area.
The landowners at the meeting directed questions to Liberal leader David Swann, NDP leader Brian Mason and Wildrose Alliance leader Danielle Smith.
Smook said there are questions about whether the project is even necessary.
“Is this infrastructure needed? If it’s for export, say so,” he said. “The need has to be demonstrated.”
Landowners were also concerned about the environmental footprint such a power line would make.
