Richard Froese
South Peace News
Big Lakes County has officially reduced the cost of a development permit fee significantly for a company planning to locate a major energy project in the southern part of the county.
At its regular meeting Oct. 9, council gave all three readings to amend the schedule of fees bylaw to change the development permit fee for commercial, industrial and institutional new construction development to $500 plus $50 per $100,000 value of the project cost to a maximum fee of $10,000.
At its regular meeting Sept. 25, council agreed to reduce the fee for the SABR Energy Consulting Black Bear combined cycle power plant project to $10,000 from $495,000.
SABR Energy Consulting will be applying for a development permit for the project, which has an estimated construction cost of $900 million, Pat Olansky, director of community services and planning, told council.
The project is proposed for the Swan Hills area, she added, although she does not know the type of energy because she has not received the development application.
Olansky said SABR requested the reduced fee.
“I agree with them – their request is certainly valid,”Olansky said.
“Most neighbouring municipalities have either a maximum fee or a low development permit fee for industrial development, however, Big Lakes County does not.
“SABR Energy Consulting has requested consideration to cap the fee for this development at $10,000 based on the M.D. of Greenview’s fee schedule for a similar project,” Olansky said.
The fee in the M.D. of Smoky River is $100 for the first $100,000 value plus $25 for every additional $100,000 to a maximum of $25,000.
The fee for Northern Sunrise County and the M.D. of Lesser Slave River is a maximum $2,500, the fee for Woodlands County is $1,000.
The fee for the M.D. of Opportunity (Wabasca and the Back Lakes region) is $20 per $50,000 value of construction and improvements.