Editor:
Canmore generally looks forward to environmental assessments to help clarify the impacts of proposed developments.
But the inherent bias of developer-funded assessments has led the Town of Canmore and other jurisdictions to pay for their own review of the assessments’ data, methods and conclusions. It’s well known that “he who pays the piper calls the tune.”
Golder’s environmental impact statement for proposed Three Sisters developments strongly suggests that receiver PricewaterhouseCoopers paid the piper and now has called the tune. It is illustrative that the Town’s review, conducted by MSES of Calgary (and covered by the developer’s application fees), found data “missing,” predictions “unconvincing... uncertain and difficult to verify” and “low” confidence in the piper’s assessment.
This should come as no surprise.
Golder Associates did not convene the world’s best and brightest to do an unbiased assessment and provide objective recommendations regarding wildlife corridors, public safety and development potential for Three Sisters. PricewaterhouseCoopers made it clear in their Framework Agreement with the Town that they wanted “no additional setbacks or easements onto the Resort Centre Lands or any other Three Sisters Lands” (with the exception of a narrow wildfire easement). It is highly likely that this is the tune they called for in Golder’s environmental impact statement.
So Golder’s wildlife biologists just piped as they were paid to. They just did their job, and their conclusions should be weighed in this light. Golder likely started with PricewaterhouseCoopers’ conclusion – “no additional setbacks or easements” – and worked backwards attempting to justify confining wildlife to steep provincial lands and building an electric fence to protect big bankers’ failing investments at Three Sisters.
MSES have proposed remedies for the flawed data, methodologies and conclusions of the environmental impact statement funded by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The Town will have to decide who will be part of those remedies. In light of the demonstrated influence of a powerful paying piper, I hope that developer-paid consultants take a back seat to biologists working more in the public interest at Three Sisters.
Jim Pissot, executive director
WildCanada Conservation Alliance
