Hussar landfill proposal rejected

By Sean Feagan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A proposed industrial landfill near Hussar is headed to the dumpster, following concerns expressed by residents at a public hearing.

Wheatland County proposed a bylaw to redesignate lands about 1.6 kilometres east of the Village of Hussar for the landfill planned by Calgary-based RemedX Remediation Services Inc. (RemedX).

The public hearing was held Aug. 25 in Hussar with about 34 area residents in attendance. While voiced sentiment was mainly against the proposal, several said they were not necessarily opposed but requested clarification regarding its design and operation. 

Traffic concerns, nuisance odours, impacts to property values, and impacts to ground and surface water were raised as possible issues with the site. Remedx CEO Barrie Flood said traffic to and from the site would be similar to its landfill in Breton, Alta., which sees an average of 12 trucks per day. Yet a document from the company indicated the number could be as high as 34 trucks per day.

Division 7 Councillor Ben Armstrong said if approved the development could provide the county between $300,000 to $500,000 per year in taxes. “The way things are going nowadays, we probably could use the extra money,” he said.

But Armstrong raised concern that industrial waste from Calgary would be transported to the proposed landfill. Unlike the Remedex’s Breton site, which accepts non-hazardous oilfield solid waste only, the proposed Hussar site would accept non-hazardous industrial wastes, including contaminated soils from gas stations, auto shops and chemical plants, and some solid production wastes such as filters or used containers.

“Those come out of urban municipalities, and (Highway) 561 runs right into the biggest urban municipality in this province, and it’s only an hour away — and that concerns me. I do not want garbage coming (from) out of county into this municipality.”

While Wheatland County has committed to attracting business and generating new tax revenue, “we have to be very smart about it,” said Division 1 Councillor Jason Wilson. “We’re trying to keep it to less impacted lands,” he added, citing the county’s industrial parks.

Council voted unanimously against a motion to accept second reading of the bylaw, then voted to rescind first reading of the bylaw, which was passed on June 16, effectively halting the proposal.