Tag Archives: BC Hydro

Forests, History, Indigenous Nations History

Comox Valley Land Trust seeks to raise $2.4M to protect trees in Puntledge Forest

By Madeline Dunnett, The Discourse,  Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

On a crisp morning in early October 2023, Tim Ennis, executive director of Comox Valley Land Trust (CVLT) trekked through the trails of Nymph Falls Nature Park and explained that CVLT was working on a complex purchase of forest on a chunk of BC Hydro land in Nymph Falls, and a possible other section in the Puntledge River Recreation Trails area. 

“The property that we’re walking onto here is owned by BC Hydro … and the timber on the property — the trees — they’re owned separately,” he said.

The lands themselves are part of the traditional unceded territory of the K’ómoks First Nation, who are descendants of the Sathloot, Sasitla, Ieeksen, Xa’xe and Pentlatch. Many surrounding areas get their namesake from the Éy7á7juuthem, Kwak̓wala, and Pəntl’áč languages — including the Puntledge River itself, which stems from the word Pəntl’áč (Pentlatch). 

Continue reading Comox Valley Land Trust seeks to raise $2.4M to protect trees in Puntledge Forest →
Opinion, Transportation

My airstrip concern: oversized private jet emissions

(Originally published on the Cortes Tideline)

By Barry Saxifrage

Judging by the big turnout at a recent community town hall, a lot of Cortes folks are concerned about the impact of the runway upgrade happening at the Lavender Farm. I’m writing to provide some information about one of those concerns – the extreme levels of climate pollution that this kind of airstrip enables. If you are concerned about the metastasizing climate crisis you might find this information of interest.

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Energy

The Expanding Local Market For Solar Power

A Cortes Island based solar company has been installing more systems that tie into the grid. 

There is a lot of potential for solar energy production in British Columbia. It has been largely untouched because of the province’s reliance on hydro-power and natural gas. As of October 2023, BC Hydro had 8,500 net metering customers with a combined solar capacity of 71 MW. This was only a fraction of the 4,609.5 MW of solar capacity tied to Canada’s grid that year. 

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Energy

BC Hydro CEO talks Site C, First Nations, and renewable energy at Creating Energy Conference

Edward Hitchins, Energeticcity.ca, Local Journalism Initiative

BC Hydro Chief Executive Officer Chris O’Reilly spoke of the future of renewable energy as the keynote speaker on the first day of the Creating Energy Conference in Fort St. John on May 21st.

According to the event’s website, the three-day event, which is being held at the Ramada Northern Grand Hotel and Conference Centre at 9830 100th Avenue, hopes to bring awareness and evolving information to northern communities about all levels of Pan-Canadian Clean Energy support and production.

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Energy, Indigenous Nations

BC Hydro must pay up for overcharging remote First Nations

Editors note: Though Hartley Bay is about 450 km north of us, in the Douglas Channel, there are aspects of the following article that should be of concern to all British Columbians. Firstly, what justification is there for a charge that only applies to First Nations communities and not neighbouring ‘non-Indigenous’ communities ‘in the same rate class.’ Secondly, even if there is a justification, why weren’t the First Nations consulted?

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

BC Hydro has been ordered to repay a small coastal First Nation more than $700,000 after unfairly charging them an extra annual fee for electricity for nearly a decade. 

The $85,000 yearly fee, embedded in a 2014 electricity service agreement between the utility company and the tiny Gitga’at First Nation of Hartley Bay, wasn’t approved and was ruled as “unjust, unreasonable and unduly discriminatory” by the province’s energy regulator this fall. 

Continue reading BC Hydro must pay up for overcharging remote First Nations →