General Understanding

Every respondent affiliated with a public institution was able to provide an accurate description or perspective of the proposed mine and coal gasification project, when asked to rate their understanding of the project. All of the survey participants from businesses in Ryley and 86% of the business participants from Tofield had a clear, well-informed understanding of the project. Residents in both of the municipalities however were noticeably less informed with regard to project details than either the businesses or public institutions. Only 57% of Tofield residents and 67% of Ryley residents were able to articulate to researchers a clear and accurate description of the proposal (Figure 3). Of the total respondents, 29.4% claimed to have been involved in some aspect of public participation relating to the project. Involvement included attendance at an open house hosted by Sherritt International and public gatherings hosted by community groups like VOCAL.

Figure 3. Percentage of survey respondents as a proportion of their respective municipal sample with an accurate, well informed understanding of the proposed Dodds-Roundhill Coal Gasification Project.

Social Impact Assessment of the Proposed Dodds-Roundhill Coal Gasification Project

- 44 - 3.2 Feelings in Relation to the Project

100% of survey participants believed the proposed project will have some impact on their community. The impacts most often identified by respondents fell into the categories of

economic growth (28%), population expansion (22%), employment opportunities (19%) and the loss of farmland (14%). Fluctuations in tax levels (7%), division with the community (6%) and various environment impacts (4%) were also reported (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Potential impacts of the proposed Dodds-Roundhill Coal Gasification Project on the communities of Tofield and Ryley as identified by a percentage of the total survey participants.

Survey participants were prompted to expand upon their answers to the aforementioned impacts of the project on their community by providing what they consider to be both the potential positive and negative impacts. 100% of respondents attributed some type of positive impact to the proposed development. Overall economic growth (23%), the creation of jobs (20%), an increase in the population (20%) and an increase in their own personal income (20%) were the most often reported potential benefits. A larger tax base (7%), a fair buyout price for residents in the project area (6%), the expansion of residential infrastructure (4%), and the establishment and/or expansion of local services and facilities (2%) were also identified as potentially beneficial aspects of the proposal (Figure 5).

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

environmental impacts community division taxes will go up/down loss of farmland job creation increase in population economic growth There will be an impact

Potential Impacts

Percentage of Respondents

Social Impact Assessment of the Proposed Dodds-Roundhill Coal Gasification Project

- 45 -

Figure 5. Potential positive impacts of the proposed Dodds-Roundhill Coal Gasification Project on the communities of Tofield and Ryley as identified by a percentage of the total survey participants.

15% of survey participants were unable to provide interviewers with an example of potential negative impacts of the proposed project. Of those who did give voice to the negative aspects of the project, the most common criticism (47%) was that residents in the project area, particularly farmers, would be required to vacate their land. The division of the community on the basis of

‘for’ and ‘against’ the project (20%) and concerns about environmental exploitation and

contamination (18%) were relatively prominent, followed by worry over a higher crime rate (9%) and reduced quality of life (7%) (Figure 6).

Figure 6. Potential negative impacts of the proposed Dodds-Roundhill Coal Gasification Project on the communities of Tofield and Ryley as identified by a percentage of the total survey participants.

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

more services/facilities more housing fair land compensation more tax revenue increased personal income population increase job creation economic growth There will be a positive impact

Potential Positive Impacts

Percentage of Respondents

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

quality of life crime environmental impacts community division loss of farmland There will be negative impacts

Potential Negative Impacts

Percentage of Respondents

Social Impact Assessment of the Proposed Dodds-Roundhill Coal Gasification Project

- 46 - 3.3 Employment and Property Values

When asked to identify the current economic sectors within their respective

municipalities, 95% of survey participants from Tofield identified areas of light industry/trade, small business, construction and/or agriculture as important factors within the town. 50% of respondents from Ryley identified neighbouring landfill sites (i.e. Clean Harbours), the Beaver County Head Office, agriculture and small business as the primary economic activity in their village. With the notable exception of the exclusion of health care related services, the sectors identified by each community generally match the industrial/employable factors present as reported in the 2006 Statistics Canada Community Profile for the respective municipalities. This translates to a 73% awareness rate of economic activity within each community by survey participants.

A large majority, 79% of the total sample, expressed a need for new investment in their respective communities with a specific emphasis on the need for local job creation. Participant perception of the current employment trends reveal a general lack of concern towards

unemployment levels with only 29% of respondents acknowledging a small rate of

unemployment. Most of the respondents (91%) recognize moderate levels of local employment, but generally believe that the majority of residents commute to the surrounding areas (i.e.

Edmonton, Sherwood Park, Camrose) for work. 9% of respondents view Tofield and Ryley as bedroom communities, meaning that residents primarily travel out of town for work due to the absence of local employment opportunities. Participant expectations in regards to the impact of the proposed project on employment are generally positive. 76% of respondents believe that the project will directly result in jobs that can be filled by local residents. 32% of respondents believe that the project will indirectly create jobs in areas that service project needs or as a result of a population expansion in the region. However, 6% of respondents expressed the opinion that the project would not impact local employment, which was often accompanied by the belief that the jobs created would be filled by new people migrating into the region rather than current locals.

74% of survey participants expressed a belief that the proposed project would drive up their property values, mostly due to of the migration of people into the community and a responding increase in the demand for residential dwellings. 21% of respondents believe that their property value would decrease if the project were to go ahead, which was explained by the nuisance factors and environmental concerns that can co-evolve with large scale resource development projects. Specific concerns included: the quality and availability of water because of project demands for the resource, noise and pollution generated by the mining process, and a reduction in the aesthetic value of the landscape.