Agreements reached with landowners, Springbank Reservoir construction to begin in 2022

CALGARY -

With agreements reached between the province and landowners, construction will begin on the Springbank Off-Stream Reservoir in 2022.

“I want to say thank you to the landowners who have made this announcement possible, as well as to department staff who engaged in these successful negotiations," said Transportation Minister Rajan Sawhney.

"Now that all the land needed for SR1 has been secured through these voluntary agreements with landowners, Alberta’s government will be able to get construction going on this important project that will protect hundreds of thousands of Albertans, and especially Calgarians, from future catastrophic flooding.”

The agreements cover 3,700 acres of land and the project is aimed at protecting homes and properties along the Bow and Elbow River from the type of flooding that happened in 2013, which caused $5 billion in damage.

Diversion channels off the Elbow River will be constructed to displace high water into an off-stream reservoir near Springbank, west of Calgary.

Since the project was announced about eight years ago, it has faced opposition from some Springbank landowners and the Stoney Nakoda First Nation who were in favour of another location for the reservoir further upstream.

“I have worked with our minister of transportation, the Springbank community and affected landowners over the past three years to ensure that concerns were heard, considered and addressed," said Banff-Kananaskis MLA Miranda Rosin.

"I am grateful to see voluntary agreements were reached with all parties, and that no land expropriation will take place.”

Provincial and federal regulators ruled earlier this year the project is in the public interest. "Every spring without flood mitigation, the City of Calgary and surrounding areas remain at risk of another devastating flood and significant economic impacts," read a release from the province.

Construction is expected to be complete in 2024.