It’s been a while since we reached out but we want you to know we’re still fighting against TSMV’s efforts to double the size of our town.
As you know, the fight has moved from the virtual Town Hall setting to the courtroom where TSMV is fighting our Town Council’s rejections of their proposals.
First, TSMV is suing the Town and our elected representatives for $161 Million. That’s more than 13 times the amount TSMV paid for the property when it bought it out of receivership in 2013! And it’s more than 8 times what the tax assessed value of those lands were in 2022 (as per Canmore’s online property viewer).
Second, TSMV appealed to the Land and Property Rights Tribunal (LRPT) to overturn the rejection of their proposals by our elected councillors, and won. Town Council is now appealing the LPRT ruling in provincial court.
The appeal is important not just for the lands, the wildlife, and the financial fallout at stake, but also for the health of our democracy. The LRPT, after all, is not an impartial court, nor is it an elected body. It is an appointed board that is selected by the provincial party in power. As such, it is prone to political biases. Should such outside interests trump the decisions of locally elected councillors?
BVE recently applied for intervenor status to support the Town’s appeal. Unfortunately, our request to intervene was denied because the judge deemed our interests too similar to those of the Town.
After the ruling was announced, would you believe that TSMV has asked BVE to pay $1,000 of the legal costs they incurred to oppose our application? They didn’t have to, but they chose to do so.
This amount is a significant sum for a small volunteer organization, so if you’d like to help us pay the $1,000, please send an e-transfer to bowvalleyengagefunds@gmail.com. We are not a charitable organization so it is non-tax deductible, but if you want to include a message to TSMV we’ll be sure to pass it along 🙂
What if there was a way to end this bullying once and for all?
Imagine if we put that money aside to buy back and take control of the contentious lands and our future instead…
Such a campaign is in the works. More soon!
Have a great day!
BVE