Opponents Voice Concerns About Proposed Change to Claystone Waste Business Plan

Opponents Voice Concerns About Proposed Change to Claystone Waste Business Plan

Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser

Beaver County residents were given the opportunity to provide input on a proposed material change to Claystone Waste’s Business Plan during a public hearing on April 5 at the Ryley Community Hall.

A total of eight people were in attendance for the public hearing that was hosted by Beaver County. Four people spoke in opposition to the proposed change, and two people provided general comments to members of council and administration.

Claystone Waste Chief Operating Officer Corey Popick and Communications Manager Anne Ruzicka were also in attendance at the public hearing.

Beaver County Chief Administrative Officer Kayleena Spiess introduced the subject matter, saying the public hearing was an opportunity for the public to provide input on the Claystone Waste business plan amendment.

Spiess explained that, Claystone is a municipally owned corporation that was established in 2020 in partnership with Town of Tofield, Town of Viking and the Villages of Ryley and Holden as shareholders in the corporation.

Claystone Waste is asking each shareholder for a material change within its business plan. Material change is to allow Claystone Waste to acquire other companies enter into joint ventures or to establish subsidiaries. Specifically, Claystone Waste would like to create a subsidiary called Claystone Waste Operations Ltd., and of course that requires a public hearing in order to do that.

This will allow Claystone the opportunity to diversify into other service offerings and expand into the waste disposal industry. Take on say, waste to energy projects, clean energy opportunities and so on. So, it’s a very expansive business idea.

Claystone Waste landfill station near the Village of Ryley.

(Michelle Pinon/Photo)

Spiess pointed out that Beaver County is not aware of any- thing to do with an incinerator project. She said the proposed composting and expansion projects have already undergone separate public consultations.

Resident Judith Basisty said that after reading the documentation it was difficult to understand what the changes would actually be or how they would be enacted. She also wondered if Beaver County would oversee the new entity.

Basisty said that if Claystone would be developing future markets she was concerned that would create more traffic on the roads. “Anyone who travels on Highway 14 knows heavy transport trucks is a safety issue.” She asked that if Claystone is expanding or allowing for expansion, how will that affect people using that roadway, safety, wear and tear on those roads?

Spiess responded by stating, “The way I describe this is Claystone is the mothership. Creating a subsidiary will give them the powers to be able to run this other arm through the board of directors that Claystone already has in place…The shareholders are above Claystone Waste as the mothership. Shareholders are towns, villages and the county. The reason why the subsidiary protects us is they’re their own corporation. So, if anything happens in that arm it dissolves. So, it doesn’t have any effect on the shareholders because it’s a subsidiary branch coming off the mothership itself. So, it protects the Claystone Waste entity.“

She noted that increased traffic and dust control were valid concerns and there is definitely a need for more turning lanes. “We have been doing a lot of work with Alberta Transportation. Last week we sat down and we were able to discuss Highway 14. Our councillors have been doing an amazing job advocating and raising awareness.

Robert Coppock was concerned about “troubling wording in the documents, specifically waste to energy projects. He said the last time he was in the hall was because of a proposal to burn waste on a commercial scale.

“The pristine environment we have in Beaver County going forward this is more important than anything money can buy. It’s priceless. Another wards, the risk of burning garbage for a few dollars is not worth polluting our pristine environment,” stated Coppock.

Clifford Giebelhaus echoed those concerns regarding waste to energy. “How can you put waste to energy in your business plan and not include incineration? To me, incineration is the epitome of evil, right below it is paralysis, and then we have other forms. Waste to energy projects, there are bad results on these.”

Giebelhaus also was concerned about oversight on projects. “It seems to me the Claystone Waste board is asking for carte blanche, unrestricted power to unilaterally decide projects they will invest in… I cannot see a person on your board who is specifically sitting there looking for residents’ point of view on this, so that is a concern.”

Catherine and John Jensen, who farm about half a mile south of the lateral expansion, brought forward their own personal concerns, some of which were voiced by other presenters in regards to decision making, funding sources for projects, potential liabilities, risks, legalities, reporting practices closure and post closure costs of the landfill.

“Current political corporate decisions should not be at the expenses of the future health, environment, societal or economic burden of our community residents,” stated Catherine.

Al Reynolds did not have a problem with the business plan change, but would have a problem with any partnerships outside of Canada or any partnership with the federal government. In the area of management, Reynolds said, he would like to see Beaver County council and Claystone start a mentoring or postsecondary management program on waste management sites. He also suggested a partnership with the University of Calgary’s Environmental School and with the University of Alberta Engineering Program, both chemical and agricultural sciences opportunity to educate younger people in the community.

In order for the material change to the business plan to be approved, 75 percent of the shareholders have to consent to the change as stipulated in the Municipally Controlled Corporation, (MCC) formation documents.