'Quite disheartening': The Alice Sanctuary no longer allowed tours, events, volunteer program

A southern Alberta sanctuary that's home to around 200 rescued farm animals is receiving an outpouring of support from people around the world after it was told it's no longer allowed to host tours, events or its volunteer program.

The Alice Sanctuary has been caring for animals for nearly 10 years — seven of which were in its current location in Wheatland County, about an hour northeast of Calgary.

Then the county received complaints from neighbours about parking and road access.

"They got in contact with us and said, 'It sounds like you're doing an operation like a business,'" said sanctuary founder Janneane Madill. "'Let's rectify the situation and let's build a permit application around this.'"

First, the county suggested a rezoning permit until they realized a "home based business type 3" permit fit better. So Madill applied and requested the approval of 14 summer tours and two events annually, on a two-year term.

But last Tuesday, Wheatland County's municipal planning commission denied the permit — and added that the sanctuary can no longer host volunteers, either.

"It feels kind of heartbreaking because I know how much the sanctuary impacts people on a very personal level," said Madill.

"Having that taken away is really quite disheartening … Not being able to provide that space for people who I know are attracted and need it — it feels like one of my lungs has been chopped off."

Reasons for permit denial

The committee's conversation about the permit started Feb. 14, when Madill submitted the application. It turned into a larger conversation about the sanctuary's existence in the county, and the committee agreed to defer the decision to Mar. 14.

In February, they voted to give Madill and her neighbour, who filed the complaint, a chance to speak at the March meeting.

But they never got that opportunity. The committee voted 3-2 to deny the permit.

After CBC News requested interviews with each member of council, county reeve Amber Link and the sanctuary's division councillor, Scott Klassen, emailed CBC News the following reasons for the permit refusal:

• The operation does not fall into the category of a business.
• The sanctuary has been operating for many years without approval of the Development Authority and was continuing to grow.
• The development permit application had been made due to complaints received and it is likely there will be more issues if the permit is approved.
• The increase in traffic to the site has a negative impact on adjacent landowners.
• Tours and volunteers visiting the site adversely affect the neighbours.
• Tour groups and volunteers are not compatible with adjacent land uses.

Link said in her email that the permit was denied after "fulsome debate and consideration."

Navigating a divide in ideologies

Madill says she felt some committee members misrepresented what the sanctuary is and does — like that they care more about fundraising than the animals, and she says the complaints about the sanctuary are outdated and are made to seem more severe than they actually are. 

"We're not entirely sure how to … fix the narrative that's been presented," said Madill. "Like the whole idea that we got caught and now we're trying to backpedal our way through this."

"There's literally nowhere for a farm animal sanctuary to exist on the permit process," she said, as the registered charity falls somewhere between agricultural operations and a business.

They also haven't been growing as the committee suggests, she says — in fact, they scaled back significantly when the pandemic hit.

Madill says she proposed a number of plans to mitigate concerns, like continuing to host large events off-site, making space for more parking on-site so cars don't block the shared roadway and paying for dust control.

But in an agriculture-focused county, Madill says there's an overarching divide in ideologies around animal agriculture and welfare.

"We gotta cut and navigate that, too."

Helping as friends, family

Moving forward, volunteer-turned-friend Iris Gill says she will continue to help Madill care for the sanctuary as a close friend.

But she's worried about Madill, the only person who cares for the animals full time, now that current and future volunteers are prohibited.

"As people leave and move and have families and we can't refresh that, we can't get new blood, it will affect animal care," said Gill. 

Singer-songwriter Jann Arden was among the group of 20-something supporters who attended the committee meeting last month.

She says Madill's work is good for Alberta and Wheatland County.

"If we have to go over there as her friends, then that's what we're all going to do," said Arden. "But we're going to make sure that the animals are safe, that Janneane is safe, that she doesn't feel intimidated in any way."

Madill and team have until April 4 to file for an appeal — which would be reviewed by a different committee.