Conklin residents are in Fort McMurray expressing their displeasure with a proposed industrial landfill.
The Subdivision and Development Appeal Board is meeting on Thursday and Friday as Secure Energy Services is appealing the municipality’s decision to not approve their development permit.
Wood Buffalo council also opposed the project in 2017, citing concerns over the location.
The landfill would be around two km southwest of the rural hamlet and store non-hazardous material coming from on-site projects.
CEO of the Conklin Resource Development Advisory Committee Jeffrey O’Donnell tells Mix News they aren’t opposed to the project, rather the location.
“We’re still not against industrial landfills, we would like that industrial landfill to be in a situation where it wouldn’t be affecting the enjoyment and health and well-being of the community.”
Around 60 people from Conklin are also in attendance for the appeal hearing.
Jennifer Cardinal is worried the landfill will take away the most important part of the community.
“The only reason I like to live out there is because of the land – there’s nothing else that triggers me to live there but the land, we live off of it.”
She adds the land supports the community through different traditional methods and this project would only make things harder for them.
Gwen Letendre, who’s lived in the community for 10-years, believes the project would only add to the number of issues plaguing the community.
“It’s not a location that we want near us and our community as there’s enough industry already there.”
The SDAB is expected to hear from the municipality and Secure Energy on Thursday, before hearing from the Conklin community on Friday.
