Rural landowners victimized by lack of provincial action

Rural landowners victimized by lack of provincial action by Sheila Pratt, February 26, 2006, The Edmonton Journal
Lee Christensen is a grain farmer with 1,800 acres east of Calgary. He went to the bank last year looking for a mortgage on a parcel of his land. He filled out the required forms, including an environmental questionnaire pointing out oil wells and a 50-year-old gas plant. Shortly after, the local Alberta Treasury Branch sent a letter turning down Christensen’s loan application. The bank is worried about long-term environmental implications of the oil and gas activity on his land. “Forty-five per cent of my assets now are not mortgageable, including the house,” said Christensen. … On the other hand, “The first rule of rural life is don’t rock the boat,” Christenen adds. [Emphasis added]