GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. — A province-wide road use agreement being considered by the County of Grande Prairie will put the onus for road maintenance back into industry’s court.

The proposed agreement will be enacted as a two-year pilot project if Council agrees to go ahead with the plan involving Alberta Transportation and Alberta Municipal Affairs. Other rural municipalities and oil and gas companies are also involved in the plan.

The idea of the province-wide agreement is to have a uniform set of rules that industry has to follow concerning the wear and tear it causes the roads from one municipality to the other. In Grande Prairie, the high level of industrial activity makes the area a prime candidate to try out the new approach.

Under the agreement, industry is required to notify where traffic will occur, conduct inspections before and after the traffic and take on any necessary repairs on their own.

Currently, the County of Grande Prairie deals directly with industry without the involvement of the province or other municipalities, and some members are hesitant to change that. A decision will be made Jan. 23 to determine whether the county will participate in the project.