Floods of 2013 hurt us all

From Canmore to Bragg Creek to High River to Calgary, all rivers in southern Alberta reached one-in-200year levels.

But the damaging flood also raised the best qualities of Albertans: neighbours helping neighbours, and a community spirit that knew no boundaries or political jurisdiction.

Now, in contrast to the community spirit that pulled everyone together in 2013, we are at odds on the issue of flood mitigation. Some groups are demanding the sacrifice of neighbouring communities to save their own. Some believe certain communities are expendable. Some discount the concerns of Tsuut’ina Nation and other neighbours living upstream.

All of this is simply unAlbertan, unnecessary and impeding progress on flood mitigation.

Springbank is not the option. The decision to build Springbank was a rushed, politically motivated decision that sacrifices neighbouring communities.

Some claimed Springbank would be fast, easy and cheap. It’s not cheap: new numbers from Alberta show how the anticipated costs for Springbank are continuing to skyrocket. It’s not easy: the wide-ranging and principled opposition to Springbank is growing. And it’s not fast: at this point, years after the flood, the project is far from reality.

We need a new solution that works for everyone.

We all share a desire for flood mitigation that protects the most Albertans for the dollars available. But that should protect all affected people, without dividing us.

We are inviting all groups to come together and work together. Let’s meet to explore common ground for a solution that works for all communities. We propose meeting at Tsuut’ina Nation to review all the flood mitigation options posed by the Government of Alberta following the flood of 2013.

Let’s not lose sight of the neighbourly spirit that got us all through the floods. No communities deserve to be further damaged by the events of 2013, including Springbank. There are other options.

Let’s get together as neighbours, once again, and make it happen. Lee Crowchild, chief of Tsuut’ina Nation John Robinson, chair, dontdamnspringbank.org