Wildsight, JCCS and others to flood government with opposition
A number of Kootenay-based environmental groups have joined forces to oppose a piece of proposed provincial legislation that could jeopardize the right of local residents to decide on a widely-opposed ski resort/real estate development in the Jumbo Valley, near Invermere.
Over 1400 members of the Jumbo Creek Conservation Society (JCCS), along with Wildsight, the West Kootenay Coalition for Jumbo Wild, the Valhalla Wilderness Society, and the Nelson EcoSociety have been encouraged to write B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell to state concerns with the proposed Bill 11.
Tucked in the middle of what is otherwise considered a highly regarded piece of provincial legislation, Section 15 of Bill 11 is an amendment to the Local Government Act, which would allow the provincial cabinet to designate ‘resort region’ and have them attached to existing municipalities.
As the term ‘resort region’ is not clearly defined, and Section 15 also states a resort region can be established by the provincial cabinet alone, the Bill is causing serious concern amongst the groups’ membership – especially after the provincial government previously promised the decision to approve or deny the resort’s construction would be left to the Regional District of East Kootenay.
A Web site (www.jumbowild.com) set up for people to send emails to Premier Campbell and have them cc’d to Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald, has already been receiving a high volume of traffic since the appeal went out to members last week.
“We want to flood the Premier’s office with letters letting him know that residents of the area plan to hold him and his government to their promise,” said Wildsight’s Purcell Mountains program manager Dave Quinn. “The Province’s Environmental Assessment Report for Jumbo clearly states ‘the project will have to go through RDEK rezoning.’ Circumventing this commitment is unacceptable, particularly when 91% of public comments in the project’s environmental assessment process were in opposition to the project.”
The Bill was to receive second reading on Thursday, March 15 but, after a filibuster by the opposition, approval was delayed. However it is scheduled to come up again when the legislature resumes after Monday, March 26.
For more information
Dave Quinn
Phone: 250-427-5666
Cell: 250-427-8878
daveq@wildsight.ca
www.jumbowild.com
About Wildsight
Wildsight works locally, regionally and globally to protect biodiversity and encourage sustainable communities in Canada’s Columbia and Southern Rocky Mountain region. This area is internationally recognized as a keystone to conservation in western North America. Wildsight received the 2005 Canadian Environmental Award for Conservation in recognition of its successful work to protect the region’s wildlife and wildlands. For more information, please visit www.wildsight.ca.