Tag Archives: Gov of BC

Environment

Poll Finds Opposition To Site C Growing

By Roy L Hales

Screen-shot-2014-03-18-at-3.43.47-PM1

More than 1,000 British Columbians participated what appears to be more off a spin exercise than a “poll.” Though critics constantly point to the lack of need, respondents to the BC Hydro commissioned survey were asked if they supported the dam “to help meet the rising demand for electricity in B.C.” Despite this, unconditional support for the controversial project has dropped to 49%. The poll finds opposition to Site C growing.

Continue reading Poll Finds Opposition To Site C Growing →
Energy

BC’s SunMine Received National Recognition

2 Comments
Screen-shot-2014-03-18-at-3.43.47-PM1

After almost a year of feeding the grid, British Columbia’s first utility scale solar installation has proven it can “do what it was designed to do.” Though SunMine’s production fell in December and January, the site was back within 95% of the projected yield by the end of April (1,500 MwH of the anticipated 1,585 MwH). Now that the sunnier months have begun, the 1.05 MW installation is producing excess electricity. It is not surprising to hear that at the Engineers Canada Awards Gala on May 26th in Charlottetown, PEI, SunMine received national recognition.

Continue reading BC’s SunMine Received National Recognition →
Environment, Finances

Do The Pacific Coast’s Climate Leaders Mean Business?

5 Comments

By Roy L Hales

Screen-shot-2014-03-18-at-3.43.47-PM1

On June 1, 2016, the Governors of Washington, Oregon and California joined British Columbia’s Environment Minister and representatives from six West Coast cities, in the Borgia Room of San Francisco’s Westin St. Francis Hotel, to sign what history may show was a key milestone in the struggle to mount a concerted defence against the ravages of global temperature rise. The 2016 Pacific Coast Climate Leadership Action Plan has a strong emphasis on issues like ocean acidification; the integration of clean energy into the power grid; “support for efforts by the insurance industry and regulatory system to highlight the economic costs of climate change; and so-called “super pollutants” (also known as short-lived climate pollutants).” This sounds good, but do the Pacific Coast’s “Climate Leaders” mean business?

Continue reading Do The Pacific Coast’s Climate Leaders Mean Business? →
Environment

Can Canada Build More Pipelines? Or LNG Facilities?

7 Comments

By Roy L Hales

Screen-shot-2014-03-18-at-3.43.47-PM1

In a recent interview with the ECOreport, Simon Fraser University Climate Scientist Dr, Kirsten Zickfeld described Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s idea of fighting climate change while expanding the oil sands and building new pipelines as “delusional.” There is only a finite amount of carbon we can release into the atmosphere and if we hope keep the global temperature rise to 2 degrees C. We are already close to 1.5 degrees and may pass that threshold this year. Even if we do not build any new fossil fuel infrastructure, Canada will exhaust “its’ fair share” of carbon emissions by 2030. These were quite strong statements, so I asked a couple of other scientists – as well as environmentalists, politicians and government spokespersons – Can Canada build more pipelines? Or LNG facilities?

Continue reading Can Canada Build More Pipelines? Or LNG Facilities? →
Environment

BC Reacts To The NEB’s Pipeline Recommendation

Screen-shot-2014-03-18-at-3.43.47-PM

As everyone expected, the National Energy Board (NEB) has recommended that the Canadian Government approve Kinder Morgan’s proposed Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion through the most populated area of British Columbia. The NEB believes the likelihood of a major oil spill “very low,” but “the potential significance” of such a spill “very high.” Kinder Morgan would be required to post calculations of the emissions from all industrial activities and those created during construction of the 1150 km (715 miles) pipeline. If the Trudeau Government agrees and the project goes forward, the number of tankers carrying diluted bitumen out of the Greater Vancouver area could increase from 1 or 2 a week to 10. These are some of the ways BC reacts to the NEB’s pipeline recommendation.

Continue reading BC Reacts To The NEB’s Pipeline Recommendation →