There have been more twists and turns in the ongoing attempts by Alberta Biobord to bring a fuel pellet, thermal plant, and MDF board plant to the community.
Initial County of Stettler permits for the project were refused in May 2022 after the county deemed the applications incomplete.
SEE ALSO: County of Stettler refuses development permit for Alberta BioBord
According to a social media update on Feb. 26, 2023, Alberta Biobord has spent the past year working with Alberta Environment to show that nothing within the proposed project would create negative environmental impacts and that new development permits would be re-filed in the coming weeks.
However, there was another bump in the road when it became known that the owners of the company’s Stettler office space had issued an eviction notice, although this is something George Clark, president of Alberta Biobord, disputes.
A letter dated Feb. 27, 2023, was posted on the window of Biobord’s Stettler office by the lawyers for Goodrich Homes, the “registered owner of the premises.” The letter declared a notice of lease termination due to Biobord owing just under $146,000 to the landlord.
According to a social media post by Alberta Biobord on March 16, 2023, the Stettler office building was part of a Share Purchase Agreement between Goodrich Homes and Biobord.
“After costing us over $75K in building improvements throughout 2021 and early 2022, they breached their SPA and failed to transfer title per their contract. They have falsely claimed that we were a tenant when in fact we have the signed contracts with them showing that the building was supposed to be ours in exchange for final payment for one half of their Share Purchase Agreement contract,” wrote Clark, on the Alberta Biobord Facebook page.
“We are dealing with their claims with the appropriate legal response to their breach. And despite the mess created by their (alleged) unfulfilled commitments, we are proceeding with our proposed projects in Stettler County.”
In a follow-up with Clark via email, he notes that Goodrich Homes “have zero valid claims against us” where “the opposite is true” of “the failed investor” as Clark says he has signed contracts which the company has breached.
As for where things are left for Biobord right now, Clark says “several parties” are looking into the block of shares that Goodrich Homes was supposed to have purchased, which would put the startup “back on solid footing.”
A full plan will be presented to the board at the Alberta Biobord annual general meeting on April 12 with permits to follow in May and a possible groundbreaking by early summer.
“This setback did impact our schedule by about three months, but has in no way diminished the overall economic viability and excellent benefits coming forward for farmers, workers and the tax bases of both Stettler Town and County,” said Clark, via email.
Clark notes that Alberta Biobord hasn’t asked for or received special tax incentives to bring the project to the region because “above all we appreciate that business developments should always be a net benefit for local governments, not an extra burden.”
Representatives from Goodrich Homes did not respond to a request for comment.