It is once again time to stand up for the values of free flowing rivers. Please consider the below information from the Western Canada Wilderness Committee:

PEMBERTON OPEN-HOUSE:
When: Thursday, December 4th, 4-9 PM with Q&A session from 7:30 PM
Where: The gymnasium at the old high school, 7567 Pemberton Meadows Rd.
(near Collins Rd.), Pemberton, BC

A large private power project is proposed for the Ryan River, an important grizzly bear recovery area near Pemberton.

Toronto-based Regional Power Inc., a subsidiary of multi-billion dollar corporation Manulife Financial, is proposing a large 145 megawatt private hydropower project on the Ryan River. This project will involve building a dam (or “weir”) across the river, drilling a 9.5 km long tunnel, creating nearly 8,000 dump-truck loads of waste rock and dirt, and building 26 km of new transmission lines.

The Ryan River is one of 11 rivers in this area recommended to be completely off-limits to private power development through the community planning process of the Sea to Sky Land and Resource Management Plan. The Ryan River is a key area linkage area for grizzly bears moving from the coast to areas further inland like the Cayoosh Range and Stein Valley. It is also home to dozens of other species including harlequin ducks, mountain goats and moose.

Currently, the Sea to Sky area has over 100 private power projects proposals. Planning for each project is evaluated on a “one-off” basis, not assessing the cumulative impact of multiple projects on the landscape. Each project involves building river diversions, access roads, powerhouses and transmission lines.

Make your voice heard! Attend the Pemberton open-house public meeting!

The public has a limited time to speak up and stop this project. Comments close on December 15.

When: Thursday, December 4th, 4-9 PM with Q&A session from 7:30 PM
Where: The gymnasium at the old high school, 7567 Pemberton Meadows Rd.
(near Collins Rd.), Pemberton, BC

History is made by those who show up—this past spring over 1000 people succeeded in stopping a similar project in the Upper Pitt River Valley.

If you can’t make it out to the meeting, please take a moment to write an email to the Minister of the Environment:

Honourable Barry Penner
env.minister@gov.bc.ca

Send copies to:

Derek Griffin, Environmental Assessment Office
eaoinfo@gov.bc.ca

Andrew Radzik, Wilderness Committee
andrew@wildernesscommittee.org