Brian Mason fires back at Springbank landowners group about dry dam

Alberta's minister of transportation and infrastructure is not happy about being called a liar.

Don't Damn Springbank, a group of landowners upset over plans to create a flood mitigating dry dam west of Calgary, released a statementon Tuesday calling for Brian Mason to apologize for saying the government was in talks with landowners about acquiring their lands.

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"That is patently false," said the statement.

"Landowners are opposed to the project. We remain opposed to the project.And we have not entered into any such discussions with this government. Landowners call on the minister to retract that false statement."

'That's really their problem'

But Mason has some strong words of his own.

"This is just a small group of landowner that are opposed to it," he said."The news release that has been issued by this organization is completely wrongand very overblown."

The government intends to build a dry dam,connected to the Elbow River by a diversion tunnel,that will fill upwhen flood waters threaten Calgary and areas downstream. It will eat up3,610 acres of landin Springbank.

Mason said the government is in conversation with some landowners at this point and if the group opposed to the dam isn't aware of that, then "that's really their problem."

He said agreements have been obtained to do environmental assessmentswith members of Don't Damn Springbank, appraisals are being done on other parcels and there are direct conversations with some landownersabout acquiring their property.

Decision has been made

Mason speculates the desire to get the best deal for their land could be the reason for the news release, but doesn't think the tactic is "very helpful."

The minister had strong words about his government's intention to move ahead with the project, saying working with landowners and getting voluntary agreements would be far preferable to expropriation.

"But I want to be clear, this government is determined to put in place adequate flood protection for Calgary and other downstream residents to prevent a repeat of the disastrous 2013 flood," he said.

The decision to move forward on the project has been finalized, he said, and the government has no intention oflosing another construction year.

"I think the landownersgroup, they're entitled to their opinion and so on, and we will consult on how we implement this decision, but we're done consulting on the decision because it's been made," he said.

Don't Damn Springbankhas been pushing for the government to reconsider the Springbank plan and instead build a reservoir in MacleanCreek, an option that was already rejected by the government due to cost, longer timeline for completionand environmental impact.

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