Water Matters Society of Alberta v. Director,Southern Region, Operations Division, Alberta Environment and Water

摘要

Alberta Environmental Appeals Board issued decision denying public interest standing to applicants in series of appeals which applicants wished to file - Applicants wished to appeal decision of Director of Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development wherein he approved amendments to certain water licenses - Board determined that applicants were not directly affected by license amendments, and that it did not have jurisdiction to grant public interest standing - Applicants brought application for judicial review of decision of board - Application dismissed - Decision of board as to its jurisdiction to hear proposed appeals was correct - Applicants did not qualify as persons who may submit notice of appeal under s. 115(l)(c)(i) of Water Act - While courts had inherent jurisdiction, it was clear law that administrative tribunals did not - Their jurisdiction was solely derived from statute that provided that jurisdiction, and in this case, that statute was Water Act - Water Act did not provide them with any jurisdiction to grant public interest standing - Water Act did not grant board jurisdiction to hear public interest appeals - It could only hear appeals from parties directly affected by decisions of Director.