PEACE RIVER — Several men occupied an Alberta government office in northwestern Alberta to protest anti-nuclear signs being taken down on private property.
Six men came into the lobby of Alberta Transportation’s office in Peace River around 11 a.m. Thursday and said they wouldn’t leave until they got answers.
They were protesting a decision by Alberta Transportation to remove all anti-nuclear signs.
It’s the latest battle in a fight by some residents against a proposal by Bruce Power to build a nuclear power plant in the area.
The Tory government said last fall that Alberta is open for business for nuclear power plants.
Then energy minister Mel Knight said the Stelmach government will look at proposed nuclear power plants on a case-by-case basis, but it will not help fund them or promise to buy the energy.
Bruce Power of Ontario has been looking at building a nuclear plant near Peace River in northwestern Alberta, but has not made a formal application to federal regulators.
Spokesman Steve Cannon says Bruce Power has said it will seriously consider making a formal proposal for a site licence now that it knows the province is open to the idea.
The Peace River Record-Gazette reported earlier this month that a business owner in Dixonville, said an employee from LaPrairie Group removed an anti-nuclear sign from her store and another nearby residence in December.
Connie Russell, owner of C & C General Store, said the employee told her he had orders from Alberta Transportation to remove all such signs in the area.
She said the signs were taken down the same day the energy minister gave the green light to nuclear power in the province.
But Bill Gish, operations manager for the Peace River district of Alberta Transportation, told the paper the sign removals were not linked to the announcement.