Strathcona’s Role in Rail Yard

Of all the individuals we have contacted on this ill-conceived Cando/CN/Imperial Oil rail yard, our local Councillor, Alan Dunn, has been the most supportive and helpful. He has set up meetings for us and has spoken to others about how inappropriate the rail yard is in our community. As well, Mr. Dunn has listed this matter as his second in a list of Ward 6 issues within his municipal election brochure. We thank Mr. Dunn for this support.

On the other hand, the Strathcona County administration has not been helpful, in fact they have done nothing to assist us, but have done everything to assist Cando Contracting Ltd. build the rail yard, even though they have no jurisdictional authority to approve the project. First, County staff met secretly with Cando for at least 7 months before we found out by accident of the rail yard plans. Second, County staff approved a Road Use Agreement for our small and narrow roads to be used by Cando and contractor construction equipment….these roads have now been destroyed by all the heavy truck and equipment traffic. Third, County staff approved construction of a driveway from the main road into the rail yard site. Fourth, County staff ignored the fact that Strathcona County was an active participant in establishment of the Bretona Pond Buck-for-Wildlife Area in 1985 and the County initiated the Bretona ConservAction Area project on our private land in 1989. Both of these protected natural areas are located less than 30m from the Cando/CN/Imperial Oil rail yard. Fifth, as a member of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Strathcona County has ignored the joint Federation of Canadian Municipalities/Railway Association of Canada  proximity guideline of a minimum of 300m distance between rail yards and homes (our home is only 163m and our neighbour’s home is only 68m from the rail yard).

~ by railroaded on October 1, 2010.