Local hotelier sets record straight

Miriam Ostermann
Times Associated Editor

 

Despite their engagement in a legal battle with the Town of Strathmore over their groundwater well usage, a local hotel was recently challenged by the Alberta Environment Sustainable Resource Development with an enforcement order to stop diverting the water, for a lack of licensing. However, the order was quickly withdrawn when the hotelier was able to provide documentation of an existing license – much to the town’s disapproval.
Mohinder Singh Gill, owner of the Howard Johnson Hotel in Strathmore, appealed the order and was able to track down the original license to his well that states it was issued to White Wezel Enterprises Ltd. in 1993 and does not expire.
“We’re going through quite a bit right now with all the bad press and having them publish an article in the Calgary Herald saying we don’t have a licensed well, when we did have a licensed well,” said Paul Gill, manager of the Strathmore Howard Johnson and Mohinder Gill’s son.
“My father asked them to help him locate the original well license and he got absolutely no help from anyone. He asked a ton of people for help. He wasn’t the original owner. We bought the building in 1998, so there’s a 20-year period where one owner had it.”
Gill was required to find the original paperwork through much research and online searches, as the original document was not in his possession.
AESRD withdrew the Water Act Enforcement order, within days of its submission. However, Gill received a letter a few weeks later stating that the Town of Strathmore’s legal representation had contacted AESRD requesting that they not withdraw their order. In a letter, AESRD responded that the appeal is now closed, and “there is nothing before the board to suggest the license is not valid.”
Linda Nelson, deputy CAO for the Town of Strathmore, confirmed that the town had sent a letter to AESRD but was unable to comment further due to legal ramifications. She added, however, the license is only a minor part of the issues the town and the hotel are currently facing.
Strathmore passed the Water Utitlities Bylaw in 2012, shortly after connecting to the City of Calgary’s regional water line. The bylaw states that no business from a premise located on land lying along the water main should be supplied by a well, spring, or other source of water not connected to the town’s water system.
The town spends over $2 million on operational water and sewer services costs, with an additional $800,000 annual cost to Calgary. The Howard Johnson, formerly known as Wheatland Inn, is estimated to consume $20,000 a year. While Gill is hooked up to the town’s system without using it, he has been accused of picking and choosing his services – private water and public sewage. However, Gill said it’s his statutory right under the Water Act to continue using his well-water as long as it is deemed of high quality. According to Paul Gill, the water is being tested once a week through Alberta Health Service and the quality has never raised an issue.
“Now with this new information of us having a well, we have quite a bit of proof,” said Paul Gill.”We’re going to go ahead and fight them. It’s just a matter of where we stand, but now that we have Environment Canada – we’ve settled that – we have a bit more leverage in our fight with the town.”
According to Gill, the situation is having a negative effect on their business, and the establishment is even considering changing their name.
The Town of Strathmore and the Howard Johnson Hotel will be back in court on Sept. 22 where the town is seeking legal assistance to have the business connect to its water services.