Tag Archives: FortisBC

Rivers & Oceans

Deep Water Recovery executives say shipbreaking operations aren’t polluting Union Bay

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By Madeline Dunnett, The Discourse,  Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

On a stormy day at the end of September, the vessels at Deep Water Recovery’s site in Union Bay were being pummelled with rain. Robert Bohn Senior, one of the company owners, and operations manager Mark Jurisich were clad in high-visibility clothing and gumboots.

The two men were leading myself and The Discourse Nanaimo reporter, Mick Sweetman, on a tour of the property. It was the first time The Discourse was offered a visit to the site, though we have been reporting on the shipbreaking situation in Union Bay since October 2023.

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Energy, Environment, Forests, Health, Housing, Politics

Michele Babchuk Meets With Cortes Island Voters

Recording by Bryan McKinnon; Broadcast and text by Roy L Hales.

NDP incumbent Michele Babchuk came to Cortes Island Saturday, October 12, in the second in a series of meet the candidate events organized by FOCI’s Climate Action Committee. 

There is not room to unpack close to two hours of fact filled conversation into this half hour, but the full podcast is at the bottom of this page and here are some highlights.  

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Politics

Mark Vonesch going to the Union of BC Municipalities Convention 

The Union of BC Municipalities 2024 Convention is in Vancouver this week. Local government and First Nations leaders from across the province are participating. One of the delegates is Mark Vonesch, the Regional Director for Cortes Island, who spoke to Cortes Currents via ZOOM as he was heading out on the ferry last Friday. 

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Environment

FOCI: Continuity & Change

The Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI) has a new President, is getting prepared to launch out in new directions and is also trying to raise $30,000 by the end of the month. The first two of those announcements may be interrelated, the third definitely is not. It is a result of two large contracts coming to an end, more on that later. First, Mike Moore has been one of FOCI’s members for decades and is now taking on a more active leadership role.

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Environment, Politics

Alberta’s fossil fuels ‘war room’ singles out a local B.C. government for battle

Editor’s note: An alarming trend very close to us.

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

When Nanaimo recently voted to ban FortisBC’s natural gas hookups from new buildings, Alberta’s infamous pro-oil and gas “war room” launched a cross-border political campaign to reverse the move. 

The Canadian Energy Centre (CEC) is a publically funded provincial corporation created by former Alberta premier Jason Kenney to protect and promote the fossil fuel industry. 

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