Critics may soon have more say in Alberta energy project reviews
by The Canadian Press
Energy Minister Ken Hughes said province working on changing how reviews of projects will work
FORT MCMURRAY, Alta.—Alberta’s energy minister is suggesting a court ruling that showed the province stopped critics of a proposed oilsands project from making their case won’t happen again.
Ken Hughes says it would be unfortunate if the ruling this week by Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Richard Marceau shakes public confidence in the province’s regulatory system.
Hughes says the government is in the middle of changing how reviews of energy projects will work.
He says under the new system the Alberta Energy Regulator will be responsible for project reviews.
Hughes says under that system there will be a better process for allowing people with different views to make their case about project proposals.
Marceau quashed a government decision to prevent the Oil Sands Environmental Coalition from speaking to a pending hearing of a proposed oilsands mine.
