Local politicians say it’s time for Husky ‘to step up’

The Husky Oil pipeline leak that released more than 200,000 litres of oil into the North Saskatchewan River has left parts of the Rural Municipality of Prince Albert in “dire straits,” according to people who live there.

“Everybody’s situation is different, but some of them are really struggling and it’s really taking a toll on them emotionally,” said Ken Danger, general manager of the Prince Albert rural water utility, which supplies the RM with water under normal circumstances.

“I’ve had mothers with small children call and they’re literally crying because they can’t flush the toilet. They can’t wash their kids’ hands, they don’t have any water to brush their teeth or do anything,” he said.

“They can buy some bottled water to make supper or something, but they don’t have any resources to haul water ... they’re really stuck.”

Earlier this week, the RM’s reeve, Norma Sheldon, wrote to elected federal officials, including Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, asking them to lobby Husky Energy Inc. on behalf of the municipality.

Sheldon said she has had “several conversations” with Husky, and they are working out details regarding who will be responsible for what.

“I need to advocate strongly for the residents of the RM of Prince Albert in this crisis,” she said, adding all levels of government and industry need to work together to ensure the community’s needs are met.

Prince Albert MP Randy Hoback, who received the email, said he did his best to connect the RM with Husky officials, saying that he feels “Husky needs to step up” when it comes to addressing the issues there.

Division 2 Coun. Paul Rybka said many in the community are in “extreme circumstance” and calls it a “very bad situation.”

He explained that most storage tanks in homes on the rural water line are rather small and not designed to be filled by big trucks, noting for some who have managed to have a water hauler deliver to their home, they’re running garden hoses through their homes as a way to fill their storage tank.

“This is a super inconvenience,” he said. “Not everybody has a basement window they can open. This whole system was designed to run off the underground lines that we put in; it wasn’t designed to have water delivered to it.”

In response to an interview request, a Husky Oil spokesperson provided a written statement.

“As we move forward with our response, our priorities continue to be assisting all affected communities and progressing the cleanup,” it read.

“In addition to Husky personnel, we have more than four hundred people on the ground, including experts involved in cleanup operations. We realize this has impacted people, businesses and communities, and have established a toll-free line for claims. A team is standing by to help people through the process.”

The company wants anyone who encounters wildlife affected by the spill to call a separate toll-free line, 1-877-262-2111.