Berated, Censored, and Betrayed: Crowsnest Pass Residents Call for Accountability Amid Rogue Council

This is the story of a rural Alberta community left to confront a rogue council—and a province that, residents say, looks the other way.

Crowsnest Pass Residents Call for Accountability Amid Rogue Council

“There are things that are happening in this community that need to be investigated,” says Mindy Pawluk, who woke up to the news that the council sold the old municipal dump site adjacent to her property—including the access road to her property—without even consulting her or other neighbors and without conducting an environmental assessment.

I spoke with residents of Crowsnest Pass, a beautiful tourism destination in the Rockies that developers eye for massive resorts, despite locals who’ve been living there for generations.

There is a democratic crisis unfolding here, because this is just one example out of many where the residents have to fight for basic due process, adherence to law amid gross violations, and censorship bylaws before they can even begin fighting to preserve their communities, histories, and the environment.

“What’s the use of having a municipal affairs department?” questions former Crowsnest Pass councillor William Kovach, if the best they can do is wish good luck on the next election amid a council gone rogue.

Watch the full report to see why residents say “the system is broken,” and how long-time locals describe being shut out as major developments advance with minimal transparency.

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