“Politics makes strange bedfellows.”
This 19th-century proverb refers to political alliances in common that bring together those of widely differing views.
Such was the case at a recent Innisfail municipal council meeting held on August 12, 2024.
The meeting took an unexpected turn when angry residents disrupted proceedings over a proposed carbon capture facility.
The meeting, which usually sees attendance of one or two residents, was packed with over 30 people, most of whom were there to voice their opposition to the new development in the town’s Southwest Industrial Park.
The facility, planned by Quebec-based Deep Sky Labs, is touted as the world’s first “carbon removal innovation and commercialization center.”
The facility aims to capture 3,000 tons of CO2 annually directly from the air, with plans to expand in the future.
The captured carbon will then be transported and stored underground at the Meadowbrook Carbon Storage Hub in Sturgeon County, pending safety approvals from the Alberta Energy Regulator.
People on both the right and left political spectrum came with concerns ranging from environmental impact to safety and transparency.
Mayor Jean Barclay, who had to suspend the meeting due to the unruly crowd, acknowledged that while some attendees had legitimate questions;, others seemed more interested in expressing their frustration than seeking answers.
“The minute you mention CO2, at times, that’s like a lightning rod for some people,” she noted, reflecting the heightened emotions surrounding the issue.
Despite the vocal protesters at the meeting, Barclay received dozens of emails and messages supporting the project the next day.
Safety and Environmental Concerns
One of the primary concerns expressed by residents attending the council meeting was the lack of clear information and documentation about the facility.
A local resident, Shellie Hannah, voiced her frustration, stating that the council members “couldn’t answer what it is or exactly how it works.”
She was particularly concerned about the absence of safety and environmental studies, questioning the wisdom of removing CO2 from the air, which she argued is necessary for plant life and human health.
Phil de Luna, chief carbon scientist and head of engineering, agrees that CO2 is important.
“It’s true, carbon dioxide is needed for plants,” he said.
“But the reality is the amount of carbon dioxide that is entering our atmosphere is causing increased temperature rise. This increased temperature rise is leading to a lot of economic and societal difficulties and problems.”
Barkley said of the amount of carbon sequestered, “I think if we walked up to most people and said, you know, we’re going to take 700 vehicles off the highway next year, their reaction wouldn’t be what we saw yesterday.”
Other attendees echoed similar concerns, some of whom even compared the project to the Chernobyl disaster, fearing C02 leaks could put the town and the environment at risk.
The council members attempted to address these fears by explaining that their jurisdiction was limited to land use under the Municipal Government Act and that environmental guidelines were the responsibility of provincial and federal authorities.
However, this did little to quell the crowd’s concerns, leading to frequent interruptions and heated exchanges.
Lack of Consultation
The project also faced criticism for the perceived lack of consultation with the community before its approval.
Several residents felt blindsided by the announcement and questioned the council’s decision to lease five acres of municipal land to Deep Sky Labs.
Tension grew in the room as more residents took the floor, leading to loud disapproval and even insults when the meeting was eventually suspended.
Adding to the frustration was the early start time of the meeting, which had been moved from the usual 3 PM to 1 PM to accommodate another event later in the day.
This change inconvenienced several protesters who had to take time off work, further fueling their dissatisfaction.
The company’s chief carbon scientist, Phil de Luna, defended the project, emphasizing the urgent need to remove excess CO2 from the atmosphere to combat climate change.
“By taking the CO2 out of the air, all we’re doing is making the air cleaner, healthier, and better for the environment and the people that live in Alberta and Innisfail,” he said.
Deep Sky Labs estimates that 80 workers will be employed for the construction phase, with another 15 for annual operations.
The project has the potential to infuse more than $110M in the Innisfail community over 10 years.
In spite of direct financial benefits to a community that already has two neighbouring proposed green projects, including a solar farm and waste-to-energy plant, in their industrial park, the carbon capture project is viewed by some residents as potentially unsafe, unproven and potentially environmentally harmful.
It’s rare for both sides of the political spectrum to agree, but when it happens, watch out!
It remains to be seen how the town of Innisfail will navigate the concerns of its residents.
But all the yelling and talking has certainly increased the local amount of CO2 in the community!
