A discussion that first surfaced at the County of St. Paul council table has now reached the Town of St. Paul, with local residents urging municipal leaders to seek more answers about a proposed carbon capture and storage project planned for northeastern Alberta.

Amil Shapka and Penny Fox of the No CO2 Pipelines Alberta Coalition appeared before Town Council on June 8, outlining concerns they say residents have been raising for several years regarding the proposed Pathways Alliance project.

The presentation follows a recent delegation to County council, where the group called for a formal environmental impact assessment and raised concerns about groundwater protection, emergency response preparedness and long-term environmental liability.

Speaking to Town Council, Shapka said one of the biggest challenges has been obtaining information about the project and understanding what it could mean for communities across the region.

“Our biggest frustrations have been almost no consultation and there has been almost no information,” he told council.

The proposed project would capture carbon dioxide from oilsands operations, transport it through a large pipeline network, and store it underground. While supporters view carbon capture as an important emissions-reduction tool, opponents continue to question the safety, environmental impacts and long-term viability of the technology.

Shapka told council residents still have unanswered questions about emergency response plans, groundwater protection, induced seismic activity and the long-term monitoring of underground storage sites.

Several members of council indicated they share concerns about the amount of information currently available to municipalities and residents.

Councillor Laura Noel said emergency preparedness remains one of the questions she hears most often from residents.

“My biggest concern is our first responders and there’s not enough information out there for everyone and the public as that matter,” she said.

Councillor Roger Routhier echoed concerns about how local emergency services would respond in the event of an incident and whether municipalities are receiving sufficient information to properly understand the proposal.

By the end of the discussion, council appeared united on one point — more information is needed.

“What I’m getting out of this, I think there’s a consensus around our table that we do need more information,” said Mayor Glenn Andersen.

Andersen suggested the issue could be raised through regional organizations such as Northern Alberta Elected Officials (NAGO), allowing municipalities across northeastern Alberta to work together in seeking answers from regulators and project proponents.

The conversation resurfaced later in the meeting during a visit from Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul MLA Scott Cyr.

Councillors used the opportunity to ask Cyr about the project, consultation efforts and what role the province may play moving forward.

According to Cyr, no formal project application has been submitted yet. He added that Pathways Alliance representatives are considering holding public town halls in the fall and acknowledged that residents are seeking clearer information about the proposal.

For now, Town council stopped short of taking formal action, but the discussion signalled that concerns first raised at the County level are gaining attention across the region as municipalities seek a better understanding of one of Alberta’s largest proposed carbon capture projects.