Rachel Notley pledges support for new Bow River dam to protect Calgary from flooding
Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley says she's committed to getting a new dam built upstream of Calgary on the Bow River if her party wins the provincial election.
Notley made that pledge at a campaign event Friday morning at Rotary Park, overlooking the river and downtown.
"Calgary is too important to leave its safety to chance," she said. "Moreover, Calgarians need a government that will make important decisions for the future."
As CBC News reported last year, Notley said there are three options under consideration: a new dam on the Glenbow Ranch parklands upstream of Bearspaw, a new reservoir on Stoney Nakoda reserve lands, or expanding existing infrastructure at Ghost Reservoir.
Notley said the NDP would invest $1 billion from Alberta's Climate Leadership Plan to the build new upstream flood mitigation infrastructure.
Notley didn't provide timelines for any of the options but earlier reports suggested the projects would take up to 20 years to be completed.
"Work is now underway to explore those options with a series of technical investigations, helping to inform the impact on waterways, communities and the environment," she said.
Notley also reiterated her party's support for going ahead with the Springbank off-stream reservoir in Rocky View County, west of Calgary, that would divert extreme flood flow from the Elbow River into a reservoir, where the water would be contained until the flood peak passes, rather than inundating the Glenmore Reservoir in Calgary.
Notley said UCP Leader Jason Kenney has been less clear about where he stands on the project.
"On Springbank, first he says he's, quote, not committed. Then he said he might have a position. Then he dodged the question in the media. Now he says he will further delay by hiring another so-called expert," she said.
"What is clear is that Kenney is not prepared to do what it takes to protect this city."
Albertans go to the polls in a provincial general election on April 16.
