Alberta mountain town to allow 2 major developments to go ahead after losing appeal
Global News
Two major developments that could almost double the population of an Alberta mountain community will go ahead after Alberta's highest court dismissed an appeal by the town.
Two major developments that could almost double the population of an Alberta mountain community will go ahead after Alberta’s highest court dismissed an appeal by the town.
Canmore town council had rejected the proposed Three Sisters Village and Smith Creek projects, but the Land and Property Rights Tribunal of Alberta ruled in May 2022 that both developments could go ahead.
The town, west of Calgary, had applied for permission to appeal that decision to the Court of Appeal of Alberta and it was allowed to proceed on questions of law and jurisdiction.
“The town has not established a basis upon which we can interfere with the tribunal’s decisions,” said the decision by three justices released Tuesday.
“The appeals are dismissed.”
The two proposals on Canmore’s eastern edge include about 80 per cent of the town’s remaining developable land and raised concerns about affordable housing and wildlife.
The decisions by the tribunal, however, found both developments met the parameters set out in a 1992 review of the Three Sisters area by the Natural Resources Conservation Board.
The 30-page decision by the Court of Appeal said the tribunal made “no reviewable error” in concluding it had jurisdiction to hear the appeals and did not exceed its authority under the Municipal Government Act.