BC Creek Protection Society

Nanaimo PUBLIC MEETING: RIVER AWARENESS When: TUESDAY MARCH 31, 7:00 PM Where: The Nanaimo Aquatic Centre, 741-3rd St For Directions Click Here BC rivers are threatened by unprecedented rapid industrial development in remote areas. In the name of “green energy”, numerous proposed hydroelectric projects would divert hundreds of kilometers of rivers from their natural riverbeds and build a vast network of new powerlines to connect remote wilderness areas to the grid. The environmental and social impacts are unknown but may be severe given the size and cumulative effects of such development. The BC Creek Protection Society and special guest speakers will present and discuss the potential impacts of hydropower development in British Columbia at a public meeting on Tuesday, March 31 in Nanaimo. Guest Speakers: John Calvert, Associate Professor , SFU (author of Liquid Gold) Gwen Barlee, Western Canada Wilderness Committee Tanis Douglas, Watershed Watch Salmon Society The presentations will be aimed at educating the public on proposed Independent Power Projects in British Columbia. These projects will be shown in a broader context of independent hydroelectric development occurring across the entire province. An invitation is extended to the Snaw-Naw-As First Nation, Snuneymuxw First Nation and any other interested parties. Everyone Welcome! 7:00-9:00 PM: Presentations, public Q & A Follow-up: Join Friends of Bute Inlet on the Rally supporting BC endangered Rivers - SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2:30pm, Nanaimo Convention Centre

 

On March 26th, join thousands of British Columbians in standing up for our wild rivers. Whether you like to swim in them, look at them, drink from them, or float down them, BC’s many wild rivers and streams are a natural heritage that we all enjoy. In 2002 the BC government banned BC Hydro from developing new sources of green power, decreeing that all new hydropower must come from private companies. This has lead to a gold rush mentality, with private operators staking almost 600 creeks and rivers throughout BC for the purposes of hydropower production. Each one of these projects involves building river diversions, dams, powerhouses and many kilometers of roads and transmission lines. Power production can be done the right way. Unfortunately, that’s not happening in BC. There is little environmental oversight and no regional planning. Local governments have lost their say on these projects. The Wilderness Committee, Canada’s largest grassroots conservation organization, is calling for a moratorium on these projects. We like our rivers wild and our power public. We hope you do too. Join with us and thousands of like-minded citizens from across the province on Thursday, March 26. Phone your Member of the Legislative Assembly and the Premier. Stand up for our rivers and streams. Find out just how powerful your voice can be! For more information visit: http://www.tenthousandvoices.org/