AltaLink engaged an independent appraiser to review the compensation that industries pay to landowners for other types of structures located on agricultural lands. AltaLink has reviewed the findings and has proposed increases to the Annual Structure Payment based on the payments made to landowners by the oil and gas industry. 

Factors being considered include the area that it takes to construct a structure(s), the area enclosed by the structure(s) once operational, the tangible production loss due to the structure’s location and the intangible effect on cultivation. AltaLink makes payment on both cultivated and uncultivated lands at different rates.  

The Annual Structure Payment is also to compensate landowners, in part, for the inconvenience and additional costs associated with weed control, additional operation time, additional seed, pesticide and fertilizer used when farming around the AltaLink structures. Additionally it compensates landowners for loss of crop within and around the structures due to compaction, double seeding and double spraying.