By Jeff Labine

Flooding plan takes small but crucial step forward

Jun 12, 2017 | 7:37 PM

Prince Albert’s flooding plan has taken a small, but crucial step forward.

City councillors at Monday night’s executive committee meeting begrudgingly moved the plan forward with the intent of showing the province progress was being made. Once the first reading is approved, another public hearing will be held.

The provincial government requires municipalities to update their official community plans to include ways to deal with a one-in-500 year flood. The city was already granted an extended deadline in order to get the new members of council up-to-speed on the issue, but the pressure is on to have a plan in place by June 26.

Craig Guidinger, the city’s planning manager, said he understood there was difference of opinion, but requested council allow administration to mitigate. He said municipalities have the authority to approve development projects, but if legislation is not kept up-to-date decision making powers get turned over to the province.

Mayor Greg Dionne agreed and said it was time for the city to move forward.

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“We have been fighting this for years,” he told council. “We do have some solutions, and I think Craig is the right person to lead us through some of those solutions. At the end of the day, it is the province that rules and I would never like to give up any control over our decisions to the province.”

The mayor concluded by calling the one-in-500 plan a “joke” but said he didn’t want to get into a fight with the province over it, especially since the SaskParty would win anyway.

Ward 4 Coun. Don Cody on the other hand was seemingly ready for a scrap, explaining he wasn’t willing to back down on this issue.

“We can have all the draft regulations we want but at the end of the day, it’s not going to hurt you people because you don’t live there,” he said. “So I guess you don’t give a damn. Maybe you do give a damn? If you don’t, you should because it is your money as well. It’s not just ours down at the flats.”

Those comments didn’t sit well with councillors Dennis Nowoselsky and Dennis Ogrodnick. Both shot back that although they represent residents on the hill, they do care about what happens down at the flats and the city as a whole.

Council also requested invitations be sent out to Prince Albert’s two MLAs and MP to attend the public meeting.

jeff.labine@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @labinereporter