Swan Hills Treatment Centre (March 15)
Mr. Kang: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week I asked the Minister of Infrastructure when the review of the Swan Hills treatment plant will be released.
All I got was data on PCBs, so I’m going to try again. To the Minister of Infrastructure: why has it taken a year for the minister to assess “what the assessment is saying”?
Mr. Danyluk: Well, Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear again that the Swan Hills Treatment Centre has done an excellent job in treating the hazardous waste of this province. I want to say to you as well that every five years we do an assessment of that treatment plant to see what the future of that plant should be, and that is in the process. We are reviewing not only what is taking place in Alberta but what the needs of Albertans are and what the needs of industry are as far as the plant is concerned. It is a very much-needed plant at this time.
The Speaker: The hon. member.
Mr. Kang: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the minister again. The minister keeps on saying: we are assessing; we are assessing. When will the minister stop the secrecy surrounding Swan Hills and release this report?
Mr. Danyluk: Mr. Speaker, I’m not sure exactly what the hon. member expects us to do. I want to say to you that it is very important to assess. It is very important to look at what is necessary for the future direction of this province. This government is not going to stand up and say, “Yes, we’re going to do this,” and then backtrack in a different direction. It is clearly important that the direction that is taken is a well-thought-out focus.
The Speaker: The hon. member.
Mr. Kang: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the minister should get off his assessment and provide some action. This treatment plant cost $22 million to run last year. Albertans want a government that is accountable. So why won’t the minister release the review?
Mr. Danyluk: Mr. Speaker, that’s exactly what this government is: accountable for what we are doing. It is in our budget. It is in our focus of what is important in the Swan Hills treatment plant. The review is there. We are looking at it; we are assessing what is necessary. I will reiterate again the importance of the plant and the importance of Swan Hills, looking at it as a utility and not as a profit-making institution.
Alberta Hansard, March 15, 2010