Episode Details

In this episode, Alex and me delve into the critical issues surrounding water and gravel extraction in Alberta, featuring a discussion with community members and experts facing gravel mining. The episode highlights the environmental and legal challenges faced by residents in areas like Sturgeon County and Sundre, where gravel pits and water contamination are prevalent. Speakers share their personal experiences and the broader implications of water commodification, emphasizing the need for legal action and community support to protect water rights and natural resources. The conversation underscores the urgency of addressing these issues to ensure a sustainable future for all.

Welcome to Ian and Mike, and a Re-welcome to Dale, Adele, Neil, Christina, and Joyce

Alex: Welcome to The Gravity Well podcast, where you and we break down heavy ideas into small buckets you and we can handle. Your mission and our mission is simple. Help us work through your dilemmas in conversation and process. Together, you, we, and your community will face our dilemmas and make the world a better place for all. Jenny?

Jenny:

In the spirit of truth, I acknowledge I’m a settler on stolen Blackfoot Treaty 7 territory in Métis Districts 5 and 6 lands. I take reconcili-action by seeking the wisdom of elders and individuals who aim to restore water, air, land, life, or community. A healthy living relationship with the earth and each other is our guide.

Okay, thrilled to have both some familiar and new faces in the room today. We have Neil, Christina, and Joyce from the Sundre Area, and we have Ian and Mike that are close to my hometown, Sturgeon County area. Thank you so much for joining us, everyone.

We’re here to talk again about gravel and water issues that we’re seeing in many sensitive areas in Alberta. In Sturgeon County, Sundre, down in Bighill Springs, and I’m sure there’s a couple others that I’m not aware of. But anyway, my point is, we’re back here to talk about what’s going on in terms of water, both loss and contamination that’s being seen in offsetting wells, and hear how hard this is for people that live offsetting gravel and what it means in your lives.

It’s pretty shocking to talk to you guys every time, the amount of stuff that you have to take on in your personal life with these issues, and I appreciate all the work that you’re doing for community, without them potentially knowing about it. So that’s why we’re doing this, is we want to make sure people know what you what’s going on and how they can support. So let’s start there. Alex, and I’m sure I missed some stuff if you want to add a little introduction.

Alex:

Hi, my name is Alex. I’m a Jack Of All Trades, master of none. I have an Arts background. I also work extensively in heavy duty construction for a decade and private voluntary-based security and crowd control for 21 years. Jenny and I met at the doors when she was running for election, and we discovered that we had some priority issues and concerns that we could both relate to and we decided to work together for the following year. And this is where it’s kind of landed us.

My concerns, primarily are the Bighill Creek Provincial Park, because there is gravel extraction going on there and that’s a place that’s near and dear to me. I live in Rocky View County. I’d like to make sure that it can be preserved for generations to come. We have had conversations with Jerry Bietz and other people regarding that. We’ve also had conversations with folks in Sundre surrounding areas. Jenny’s actually been more proactive in that.

I’ve been focused on other tasks, but my interest is making sure that we can preserve and ensure water supply. Make sure that it’s safe not only for human consumption but for our environment. With that, I will leave it open to the floor.

Jenny:

Okay, we’re going to start with you, Ian. If you can please tell us what brought you here and wha