Municipal council seeks investment from oilsands profits

The local government in the heart of Alberta's oilsands region wants some curbs on future development until the demands on the community's infrastructure are eased.

On Tuesday, councillors inthe Municipality of Wood Buffalo, which includes Fort McMurray, voted unanimouslyto apply for intervenor status in a Suncor application to the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board.

Suncor will go before the boardon July 5, seeking approval to expand its oilsands project.

The council also plans to seekintervenor status in all future oilsands expansion applications.

"There's going to be a definite impact on how much the oilsands itself can advance and progress if we can't get our housing situation under control," Mayor Melissa Blake toldthe Fort McMurray Today newspaper.

Blake said the Alberta government and the oilsands companies must offer more money to the municipality for infrastructure projects.

The Fort McMurray area has faced housing shortages and big demands on its infrastructure due to the booming growth in oilsands development.

"What we really need to drive home is the point that the community is not able to proceed any further with the limitations that we have," Blake said.

"We cannot continue to accommodate debt … on the municipality's back and not have something to offset that."

Wood Buffalo has forecast its debt will be up to $263 million by the end of this year.

The municipality is seeking the right to tax oilsands companies differently than other businesses. The Alberta government hasn't issued a decision yet on the taxes.