The Central Mountainview Advisory Group (CMAG) formed in April 2005 when coal bed methane activity arrived in the Olds area. A group of landowners looking for more information met and decided to form a synergy group to work with industry and regulators (mainly the EUB) regarding ALL forms of energy activity in the area.
Today, CMAG continues to work with both energy companies undertaking both CBM and conventional oil and gas activity in the area. The group has expanded it’s membership to include other organizations and issues impacting the community, such as energy transmission, airsheds, watersheds, agriculture and land use.
All members of the community are welcome to participate. Participation requires adhering to a Code of Conduct and the Terms of Reference.
Our Mission:
Community, energy industry and regulators working to share information, promote education and develop mutually beneficial plans for all stakeholders.
Terms of Reference:
CMAG Terms of reference has been passed. You may see them here
Scholarship
CMAG was thrilled to bring a scholarship to students in the Olds/Didsbury area. Fall 2016, two students from Didsbury High were awarded.
We are excited to offer the scholarship again for 2017. Please click the link below for the application.
Membership
CMAG’s membership includes landowners/residents, the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER), Plains Midstream, Ember Resources, HSE Integrated, TransCanada Pipelines, AltaGas, Nova Chemicals, and Mountain View County.
CMAG welcomes interested industry and community. There is no membership fee for community members. To participate, everyone must sign a document agreeing to the groups Code of Conduct at each meeting, stated below. In addition, participants must adhere to the groups’ Terms of Reference.
Code of Conduct Sign-in: By signing this form, you agree to the CMAG Code of Conduct, stated below. To ensure respectful and effective discussion, this document must be signed and adhered to as a requirement for participation.
- Respect each other’s right to speak and to be heard.
- Keep an open mind by respecting and seeking to understand each other’s position on issues and subjects.
- Listen attentively and actively – if you feel that you don’t understand what has been said, seek clarification.
- Participate actively and openly, and encourage others through your comments to do the same.
- Speak through and only when recognized by the facilitator – indicate to the facilitator that you wish to speak and she (he)will recognize you in turn. When speaking, be as clear and concise as possible.
- Refrain from side bar discussions with those around you – in the interests of open communication and understanding, all that is said should be accessible to all members of the group.
- No one shall take audio or video recordings of the meeting without prior knowledge and permission from the entire group.
- Respect the role of the facilitator to keep the meeting moving forward and to limit your time “with the floor”.
- State your position and refrain from making personal comments towards other group members (or attacking someone else’s position).
Our Accomplishments
CMAG’s primary focus to-date has been to facilitate the development of oil and gas in the area in a way that respects the community and industry. The group has now expanded its focus to include other community issues.
- Education and the sharing of information are important to CMAG. To help bring more information to the community, CMAG hosts information events.
- The group has helped individuals work to resolve issues and concerns with industry. Primarily, the group will bring parties together or help direct individuals to resources. The group will not solve specific issues for individuals per se.
- Members have created a series of Best Management Practices to guide energy industry activity in the area. They have also created some information documents to share with the public to help clear up confusion and misunderstandings
- In 2015, the group endeavoured to bring the community a local scholarship program 2016 is the inaugural year for the Scholarship Program.
- In 2015, the group changed its name from Central Mountainview ACTION group, to Central Mountainview ADVISORY group.
Publications
- CMAG Best Management Practices
- Drilling for Shallow Gas and Natural Gas from Coal
- Pipeline & Construction
- Wellhead and Facility Strikes
- Surveyors BMP
- Landowner Guide
Events
CMAG will be hosting special events throughout the year, as indicated in meeting minutes. Please check back here, or on Facebook and Twitter, for more information throughout the year.
Past Spring Information Night and Community BBQ
In 2015, CMAG hosted a panel discussion on water, including representatives from the AER and Red Deer River Municipal Users Group. The panel was followed by a BBQ dinner.
CMAG hosted a successful information session on hydraulic fracturing in June 2012. Approximately 120 people took in the open house, BBQ and presentation from Mike Dawson, president of the Canadian Society for Unconventional Resources. Download Presentation Here
CMAG held an information session on pipelines in November 2012 as follow up to questions from landowners and residents last spring. Speakers from the National Energy Board, Energy Resources Conservation Board and Farmer’s Advocate Office spoke to approximately 50 people on pipelines. Please click on the following links to see their presentations.
CMAG’s June 2013 open house and information session on Understanding Landowner Rights was a big success. About 130 people heard presentations from the Property Rights Advocate Lee Cutforth, Jill Mason of the Surface Rights Board and Carol Goodfellow of the Farmers’ Advocate Office. The event also included a free BBQ and open house with CMAG member companies, the Alberta Energy Regulator, Mountainview County and others.
Additional Information
The Alberta Energy Regulator has a series of publications called EnerFAQs to provide landowners information on various topics:
What is the AER?
Having Your Say at an AER Hearing
Inspections and Enforcement of Energy Developments in Alberta
All About Critical Sour Wells
Explaining AER Setbacks
Flaring and Incineration
Proposed Oil and Gas Development: A Landowner’s Guide
The AER and You: Agreements, Commitments, and Conditions
All About Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
Oil Sands
Expressing Your Concerns – How to File a Statement of Concern About an Energy Resource Project
All of the EnerFAQs can be accessed at: http://www.aer.ca/about-aer/enerfaqs
