BC Creek Protection Society

How Green is the British Columbia Energy Plan? The BC Creek Protection Society in association with the UVIC Kayak Club invites you to attend a free 1-hour public lecture critiquing the sustainability of the provincial Energy Plan, presented by noted economist Dr. Marvin Shaffer. (more…)

Who benefits from privatization? By Diana French - Williams Lake Tribune - October 23, 2007 Public or private. That is the question. The issue won’t go away. (more…)

Tyee article: BC’s Hinterlands Are Opened Up for Business external link: http://thetyee.ca/News/2007/10/17/RiverPower/

This is a video that has several interesting interviews, especially with Gwen Barlee from the Western Canada Wilderness Committee, and sobering footage from the development on Ashlu Creek: http://youtube.com/watch?v=p48ra_657M4 (external link to YouTube)

Electric companies (external link to The Georgia Straight) NDP promises fall fight on run-of-river power (external link to The Georgia Straight) (more…)

FOR THIS YEARS (2008) EVENT CLICK HERE

Victoria BC Rivers Day hosted by BC Creek Protection Society

Join us to celebrate the 1st BC Rivers Day in Goldstream!

UPDATE - september 26

The event will take place rain or shine, there are large rain protected areas where we can still enjoy the day standing near a warm fire, sipping tea and listening to great music. Don’t forget to bring a mug.

Admission is free!

Please note: regular vehicle parking fees apply in the park, however, if you park by the highway there is no charge.

Where: Goldstream Provincial Park.
www.naturehouse.ca

When: Sunday, September 30, 11am-4pm

Directions: The park is located 16km northwest of Victoria on the Trans Canada Hwy #1
(more…)

Full Story:
The politics of power

Just how political are power lines in B.C.? (more…)

The public input period for the Klinaklini River starts today (Sep 17 2007) and will last until Oct 17 2007: http://www.eao.gov.bc.ca/epic/output/html/deploy/epic_document_289_24684.html The Klinaklini River is located at the head of Knight Inlet, 100 km east of Port McNeil. The Klinaklini is considered one of the Grat Canadian Rivers in a pristine wilderness setting of the Coastal Mountains around Mt. Waddington. The Klinaklini is one of the largest Rivers in the Coastal Range with a mean annual flow of 190 cubic meters per second. The proposed project is by far the biggest run-of-river project proposed so far. The project will have a peak output (during high flow at snowmelt) of 700 MW. The capacity (averaged over the year) is supposed to be 280 MW which puts the projects among the 10 biggest power projects in British Columbia. The tunnel for water diversion is proposed to be 10 m in diameter and 180 km of new transmission lines have to be build. It is difficult to grasp the scale of this development. Please take some time to learn about the project at: http://www.eao.gov.bc.ca/epic/output/html/deploy/epic_project_home_289.html Under “Document Index” you will find documents that detail the project. Public input is critical for proper management of our rivers and it is up to us to provide this input. If we don’t sit down and take some time to learn about and criticize the projects these great Canadian rivers will be irreversibly changed.

Book Cover (PDF download) Order Form (PDF download) From the Book Cover: Secure, reliable, and affordable electricity has been one of British Columbia’s most important competitive advantages and a key contributor to the province’s prosperity. (more…)

Municipal Matters: How the Provincial Government is Cutting Out Community Choice Date: Tuesday September 18, 2007 from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm Municipal Matters: How the Provincial Government is Cutting Out Community Choice Our provincial government has been eliminating the rights of municipalities to make community based decisions and taking democratic choice from our elected civic leaders. The provincial government has: * Signed TILMA (Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement) - no consultation, but overrules municipal authority * Ok’ed Run of the River projects- BC-wide privatized power production without public oversight * Changed to the Translink Board - now appointed not elected * Ignored Vancouver’s Housing Crisis - shrinking provincial funding for crucial support Hear experts talk about the changes in legislation and what we can do to have our voices heard and get this power back Heritage Hall 3102 Main St at E.15th Ave. Vancouver Tues, September 18, 7:30pm Free For more information contact the Council of Canadians, 604.688.8846 Co-sponsored by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Self-Sufficiency and Insurance: Exaggerating the Need for New Sources of Electricity Supply (PDF)

UNION OF B.C. INDIAN CHIEFS
CHIEFS COUNCIL
WESTBANK, B.C.

Resolution no. 2007-31

RE: Private Water Power Licenses

WHEREAS the UBCIC is a political organization for Indigenous peoples in British Columbia founded in 1969, dedicated to promoting and supporting the efforts of Indigenous people to affirm and defend Aboriginal Title and Rights; (more…)

PRESS RELEASE
August 28, 2007

The proposed Glacier/Howser hydroelectric project in the West Kootenay region of BC continues to be quickly rammed through the environmental assessment review process. With only a 38 day public comment period in the peak of summer holiday season over 75 submissions have already been posted on the BC Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) website. (more…)

Full Press Release (PDF)

For Immediate Release: August 13, 2007

Two new reports help answer questions, raise others, on the sustainability of
run-of-river hydropower

Coquitlam, BC –Watershed Watch today released two reports that expose
weaknesses in how government and industry measure, monitor, and minimize the
impacts of “green” hydropower in British Columbia. (more…)

Do you enjoy river activities such as swimming, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, fishing, camping…? BC rivers are the heart of many BC communities, supporting year-round recreational and economic activities. But our rivers are at risk! Currently, the government is in the process of awarding water licenses to private companies for over 500 BC Rivers. This could mean the building of hundreds of new power plants in watersheds throughout the province, without an adequate review of the environmental or community impacts. It will result in incalculable damage to wild and scenic rivers – through road building, habitat destruction, water-diversion and new transmission lines. This is not micro-hydro development, it is a province-wide mega-project.
One of the proposed power projects is for 8 tributaries of the Upper Pitt River which is part of the provincial Pinecone-Burke Park. The BC Creek Protection Society encourages young people to enter a coloring contest which will also serve as a petition. The drawing shows what Pinecone Burke Park would look like if the power project was built. This coloring contest is open until August 20 for children of ages 4 to 12 - please write your name, address and age in the box. Color in the drawing provided and on the backside draw or paint a picture showing why we need to protect rivers in BC. Please mail the pictures to 4145 Borden Street, Victoria BC, V8X 2G6. The best pictures will be awarded prizes by BC Creek Protection Society from MEC and Ocean River Sports. The drawings will be then sent to the Western Canada Wilderness Committee who will forward them with comments about how we need to protect our rivers to BC Parks Minister Penner. Adults can access the following website for more information http://publicpowerbc.ca/rivers-for-generations/

Colour Contest Sheet

PROTECT OUR SACRED WATERS. July 5, 6:30 to 9:30 at SFU Harbor Centre, 515 Hastings St.
We will have representatives from Muslim, christian, Hindi, Sikh & Indigenous peoples giving the “spiritual”
significance of water, from their perspectives. And, we will then have a panel of information
sharing from experienced peoples who have been researching this phenomenon of private
power replacing the public utility in BC. Our July 5 free event will bring together peoples
from different faith groups and Native & non-Native peoples (including environmentalists)
who are concerned about the acceleration of the process of privatizing our whole province!

Mark Angelo Presentation

Submitted by Hugh Hamilton
West Vancouver Streamkeeper Society
604-922-7828
hugheah@dowco.com
www.pskf.ca/angelo

West Vancouver Streamkeepers and North Shore Streamkeepers are hosting Mark Angelo, the well known conservationist, outdoor leader and writer who will give aphotographictrip titled Rivers of Home, a river tour of BC’s great rivers all the way down to Vancouver and the North Shore.

Please join us on Thursday May 31st. at St. Stephen’ s Anglican Church in West Vancouver. We have provided time for you to meet Mark Angelo in person, and enjoy light refreshments after the presentation.

The place and time are:
St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, 885 -22nd. Street, West Vancouver
Thursday May 31st., 7:30pm - 9:30pm
There is underground parking opposite the Church on Gordon Avenue, and off Marine Drive at the Aquatic Centre

Globe and Mail article republished at workopolis.com:
Virtual view of power projects renders a jolting reality check

The Hydro Map was updated. It now contains a complete list of hydro licenses in BC. However it is still work in progress and information about projects is not complete.

Run-of-river hydroelectric projects and their construction have an enormous ecological footprint on some of our Province’s most environmentally sensitive areas, its free-flowing rivers and creeks. The BC CPS would like to ensure that British Columbia´s rivers and creeks are protected for generations to come.
Please consider signing our online petition that is hosted at an independent site (gopetition.com):

BC CPS petiton

We also encourage you to sign the printed version (where available) as the printed version is legally binding.

Documenting the First-Descent of Vancouver Islands Memekay River, The Last Drop documentary looks at the role kayaking plays in the conservation of BC rivers. Although the Kayakers in the film are met with a little “adverse” weather, they find the Memekay to be an untouched eco-system with massive old-growth trees and spectacular canyons and scenery.
Presented to raise awareness of Dam issues in British Columbia, the Last Drop looks at the current state of hydro in BC, and contrasts the role of the Provincial Government in the implementation of those hydro projects with the Kayakers and their thoughts on “stewardship of the rivers.” (more…)

The memorial fund that was established by the request of Jeff Stang’s family grew to over $6,500 after the memorial service on February 3.

Thank you to everyone for your generous support. Specifically thank you to the Victoria Fire Department for their contribution of $2000.