A quarry operator is hoping a pitch to transport aggregate 4.5 kilometres by conveyor belt to its facility at Spy Hill will break a logjam that’s seen the plan for a huge gravel pit in Bearspaw rejected three times since 1995.
But opponents say they remain unconvinced and are once again rallying to kill the plan by German multinational Heidelberg Materials to finally unlock the 243 hectares of pastureland at Rocky Ridge Road and 144th Avenue N.W. on Calgary’s city limit.
They say carcinogenic silica dust kicked up by the quarrying, threats to groundwater, noise and a hit to property values are still concerns.
“This isn’t just a Rocky View County concern, Calgary should be way more concerned,” said Olympic gold medal speedskater Catriona Le May Doan, who lives about one kilometre from the proposed site.
She said fast-growing Calgary subdivisions to the east of the planned quarry are downwind of it.
“The health and environment side is the most important side and I don’t care about the conveyor belts . . . it’ll continue to have an effect on the groundwater.”
But she said most frustrating for residents in the area is that their efforts to have the quarry rejected three times are being disregarded.
“The voice of the community is being ignored, for 30 years we’ve been fighting this,” said Le May Doan.
‘A complete end-run on municipal decision-making,’ says area councillor
Retiree Rod Lipman, whose home is only metres from the edge of the proposed quarry, echoed those sentiments and predicted his property value would “crater” if the project is approved on land he considers a buffer from four other gravel pits currently operating.
“It brings it closer to a lot of people who bought and made their homes here . . . we’re essentially at ground zero,” he said.
“We hear the crusher from the (nearby Stoney Trail Aggregate Resource) pit every morning and night; our big concern is the cumulative effect.”
Rocky View County residents Rod Lipman, who lives right next to the land, and Catriona Le May Doan, are not happy about a proposed gravel pit just northwest of Calgary at Rocky Ridge Road and 144th Avenue N.W. on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.
After Rocky View County council rejected the proposal in February 2021, lawmakers amended area structure and resource plans that imposed effectively banned gravel pits from rural residential areas like Bearspaw.
But since then, the province has referred Heidelberg’s proposal to the Natural Resources Conservation Board, which is currently determining whether the pit would be “in the public interest of Albertans.” According to the NRCB, it could be approved next year following a public hearing.
That renders local democracy moot, said county Coun. Samanntha Wright, adding it is part of a trend of the UCP government usurping municipal powers as personified in Bill 28.
“It’s a complete end-run on municipal decision-making — why bother having municipalities?” said Wright.
“Enough is enough, how many times do you need to say no (to a project)?”
Residents in Rocky View County just northwest of Calgary at Rocky Ridge Road and 144th Avenue N.W. are not happy about a proposed gravel pit in their area. Photo taken on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.
Company touts benefits to gravel pit
According to the company, the project’s three-year construction period would add $43.4 million to the Calgary area’s GDP and create 367 jobs.
The Calgary region, said the company, badly needs the aggregate resource beneath the gently rolling ground of the so-called Scott Property at the city’s northwest boundary because existing pits are running low.
Throughout the 25- to 30-year life of the quarry, the company said it would pump $21.35 million into county coffers in taxes and levies.
Earlier this month, Heidelberg mailed out brochures in surrounding communities to explain the project and advertise Wednesday’s open house on the project held at the Bearspaw Community Centre.
At the event, Heidelberg Land Manager Dale Soetaert tried to allay concerns of locals and noted Rocky View County administrators had recommended the project be approved prior to all three council rejections.
He said the company will take steps to monitor groundwater quality and reduce dust exposure while considering feedback from their neighbours.
“None of these things are finalized yet — we can take their concerns and consider them as we continue to build our application,” said Soetaert.
As for a potential impact on property values, he said the company is undertaking “a socio-economic study” and an appraisal of real estate values in the area.
A Heidelberg Materials staffer (L) answers residents’ questions about the company’s proposed Scott Project at an open house at the Bearspaw Community Centre on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.
Calgary residents in the area have long complained about massive volumes of gravel truck traffic at 112th Avenue and Country Hills Boulevard that they say pose safety hazards and leave behind gravel spills.
Soetaert said Heidelberg will be ceasing its current operations at its 112th Avenue pit in the next three to four years “so we don’t anticipate a large increase in truck traffic.”
The conveyor belt will eliminate 70,000 truck trips a year from the Scott Property, said Heidelberg.
Soetaert said the close proximity of the Scott pit to its existing operation and the city makes economic sense for everyone.
“It keeps the price of gravel affordable for everyone and by having it close to where it’s consumed, the less impacts you’ll have,” said Soetaert.
“Sand and gravel is needed, whether you like it or not.”
Over the next 25 years, the city will need more than 600 million tonnes of sand and gravel to construct roads and buildings, says the company.
Residents examine Heidelberg Materials displays on the company’s proposed Scott Project at an open house Wednesday at the Bearspaw Community Centre.
At one point during the open house, Bearspaw resident Lynn Nickel climbed on a table and loudly confronted Heidelberg staffers, calling their presentation “propaganda.”
“Put this in your backyard, would you accept this? I want one of you to come here and say you would accept this,” she said to cheers.
And opponents, like Church Ranches resident John Weatherill, said gravel can be mined economically at other sites well-removed from residential areas.
“The only part of the province that’s not gravel-rich is extreme northern Alberta — there are many other places in the province that would be more suitable,” he said.