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Evidence, not politics, proves Springbank is the right flood project

Five and half years after the worst natural disaster to strike southern Alberta and we’re still arguing over how to prevent the economic, infrastructure and social damage that will come from the next flood.

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If we can’t agree on basic infrastructure that will protect the economic engine of our province, save billions of taxpayer dollars and protect human life, how can we ever expect to build other important infrastructure like a pipeline?

This is why it’s so frustrating to see the continued opposition from Rocky View County council and lobbyists like Rocky View 2020 to sensible and cost-effective solutions like the Springbank Off-stream Reservoir (SR1).

Especially when they offer no real alternatives. They simply say, “Put it somewhere else.”

Let’s remember why we need flood mitigation. The flood of 2013 caused $6 billion in damage to downtown Calgary, businesses, river communities and government infrastructure. Downtown Calgary was shut down for weeks, taxpayers were on the hook for billions in repairs, and most importantly, five people lost their lives.