Dear Editor,
All communities of Howe Sound are worried the Woodfibre LNG proposal will be steam rolled. I add my comments from Gibsons and the Sunshine Coast perspective.
Like Bowen Island, our highway is BC Ferries - we live on the mainland with a highway not connected to Squamish and by default Vancouver. Setting aside tanker safety, climate change I believe the greatest failure of this project is to address just how this would not interrupt ferry service to and from Horseshoe Bay. Not just for commuters but the tens of thousands of tourists who annually visit Bowen, the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island.
Last fall, the BC government floated the idea of moving all Vancouver Island traffic to Tsawwassen . Conclusion, LNG tanker safety regulations would mandate a BC Ferries reduction in Horseshoe Bay to make way for the LNG tanker traffic and balance Bowen and Langdale ferry passage safely in Howe Sound.
The politics? Our BC government could not even be bothered to have a public open house on the Woodfibre LNG project in our area. The ferry is only one small example of the impact this will make on our community.
The fact that Resource Works, a non-profit, offered to help the Squamish Council with their OCP is curious. I question that offer. Resource Works will impress with reams of data meanwhile the group’s primary speaker, Stewart Muir happens to be the husband of BC Deputy Minister Athana Mentzelopoulos a pal of the Premier.
A non-profit formed by the BC Council of Business and a who’s who of BC Liberal and Federal Conservative insiders should give us pause. Is Resource Works a fair broker for the Howe Sound Woodfibre LNG project? No.
Best regards,
Bonnie Nicol
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Dear Editor,
Citizens and visitors of Squamish all gathered at the head of Howe Sound on a recent cold, rainy, windy day to stand together and share absolute joy to celebrate a once in a lifetime event: the energetic display of 200 dolphins and 15 orcas visiting our area, previously contaminated by industrial pollution. Even MLA Jordan Study stood and expressed excitement.
Scientists and citizens alike commend the valuable volunteer efforts by local Squamish Streamkeepers for wrapping old creosote pilings so that Herring can reproduce and provide a food source for larger marine animals.
The Squamish River Watershed Society has provided years of projects to enhance marine life on shores, in rivers and ocean. These important people all have lifetimes of experience, whether they have degrees, diplomas, or just really good raingear and galoshes, they work for the good of all.
How many hours, days, months, and years of research, dialogue, planning, management and labour by these highly respectable citizens has gone into the restoration work, which resulted in the fine display of environmental restoration success we witnessed on March 15, 2014.
Unless we all stand up now and ask that our governments recognize the importance of the environmental restoration success, we will remember March 15, 2014 as the one and only day the Orcas came to Squamish. I would like to suggest all levels of government recognize this date of March 15 officially as Healthy Howe Sound Day.
It takes very little effort to write a letter to the BC Environmental Assessment office before March 23 at www.eao.gov.bc.ca. Also to MLA Jordan Sturdy and MP John Weston to let them know we want Howe Sound protected. Tell them “YES to 650 SPECIES, including Orcas, Dolphins, Herring, Rockfish, Crabs, Prawns, Jellies, Starfish, Tubeworms, Limpets, Snails, Corals” and “No” to LNG. (One monstrous anomaly)
Glenne Campbell,
Brackendale BC
