According to a press release from the Wilderness Committee, the Union of BC municipalities (UBCM) has passed resolutions calling for the province to rescind the Order in Council that excluded Site C dam reservoir lands from the Agricultural Land Reserve and refer the project to the BC Utilities Commission. Both resolutions pertain to actions Premier Christy Clark’s government undertook to bypass supposedly independent provincial agencies. While neither are legally binding, UBCM told the Province to Stand Down over Site C.
By Roy L Hales Some of local residents dropped by last Wednesday, when they saw BC Hydro clearing out an area in their gravel pit at Fort St John. They were told, “We’re making a parking lot for the protesters.” This was repeated to Ken Boon, who promptly drove over to the site. He saw the enlarged parking lot and fencing. The President of President of the Peace Valley Landowner Association (PVLA) was wearing a “Paddle for the Peace” hat, when he approached the security guards. Boon says they, “were pretty guarded in their answers.” This story is one of many illustrations of confrontations over The Site C Dam.
The BC legislature is debating Bill 30, the Liquefied Natural Gas Project Agreements Act, today. Premier Christy Clark claims this legislation will “give business certainty and keep British Columbia competitive; to ensure British Columbians see the benefits of the resource they own; and to ensure we build the cleanest LNG facilities in the world.” Critics have another name for Bill 30: a deal born of Desperation.
Though the number of active wildfires increased to 240, of which 17 are classified as “active fires of note,”the province was no longer covered by smoke. Port Hardy’s evacuation order has been rescinded. There was rain in some of the most critical areas last night and today. Aside from Whistler, which is still “5” (moderate), the province’s Air Quality Health Index has dropped to 2’s and 3’s. BC’s fire situation appears to be improving.
