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Red Deer company ordered to restore wetland

Work went ahead in Blackfalds without authorization

A Red Deer company and two of its directors has been ordered to remediate a wetland in Blackfalds that was filled in without authorization.

The Alberta Environment and Parks Department said in a release this week that the order was issued to Aurora Heights Management Ltd. and the directors.

The permanent wetland is contained on a site that the company intends to develop as a residential subdivision. A consultant hired by the company made application under the Water Act to modify the wetland.

But the company directed the wetland be filled in without having the required Water Act authorization, the government said.

Under the order, the responsible parties must submit a remedial plan that outlines restoration of the wetland to its pre-existing condition or one of equivalent size and condition, for approval on or before Jan. 31.

The approved remedial work must be conducted under the supervision of an appropriately qualified environmental professional.

They must also submit a monitoring and restoration plan by March 31, which will be conducted annually for a minimum of two growing seasons to determine if restoration success has been achieved for the 3.8 hectares of wetland restored.