Last Thursday, June 25, the third and final public meeting about the Glacier/Howser River Diversion Project (IPP) was held in Invermere. The meeting and rally attracted 120 residents. Two meetings were also held in the West Kootenay last week—with the Kaslo meeting attracting more than a thousand people.
“It was very emotional, and a good-sized turn out considering it was Grad night,” said Ron Clarke, president of Wildsight’s Invermere branch. “I don’t recall a single person speaking in the project’s favour.”
The project in question is, of course, the controversial Glacier/Howser independent power scheme, which, as planned, is not a classic “run-of-the-river” project but an actual diversion of the lower reaches of five West Kootenay creeks. It would also include punching 92 kilometres of new roads and transmission lines across protected areas in the Purcells to Invermere. Affected areas would include Stockdale and Horsethief creek drainages and their old growth forests.
Invermere, Golden and area residents turned out at 5:30 to go on the record as opposed to the project. They rallied through downtown Invermere, carrying signs and chanting “Our rivers, our power, our choice.” At 7 pm they moved inside the Invermere Community Centre for the open house meeting, hosted by project proponent Axor Power Inc. (“Purcell Green Power”), and the BC Environmental Assessment Office.
“During the meeting, the audience universally condemned the proponent and government representatives for their often oblique and evasive responses to heartfelt questions and criticism,” Clarke said. “From a 14-year old girl, reduced to tears by wondering what would be left of her wilderness, to an elderly man pleading for the salvation of his natural places, the comments were polite but heartfelt.”
The controversial Glacier Howser River Diversion Proposal was rejected by the Province last year, but Axor reapplied this year and has made it to the second round, an Environmental Assessment (EA).
Clarke’s main concern, and that of several other groups, such as the Council of Canadians, is the seemingly undemocratic process of the environmental assessment. “There was a feeling of frustration,” he said, “that the open house was really just window dressing. After all, Bill 30 has removed any power from regional districts, and we know from observing over time that once a project hits the EA office, it’s practically a slam dunk in favour of the proponent.”
Trevor Hamre, president of the Golden branch of the Council of Canadians said the main sentiment he heard expressed was: “Our rivers are not for sale.” He hoped the message would get through, and noted that there is still time to comment in writing about the proposal to the BC Environmental Assessment Office. (The deadline for submissions is July 27—you can e-mail them to Glacier.Howser@gov.bc.ca; Attention, Garry Alexander.)
Clarke said he had to laugh when Hamre asked an Axor representative, “What will it cost to get you to go away?”
“This project is not green, it’s not needed, and it’s not wanted,” Clarke said. “That’s the message we sent in Invermere and the message that people sent in Kaslo and in Meadow Creek. Now we’ll see if the government responds in a meaningful way. I certainly hope they do.”
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. For more information, please visit www.wildsight.ca.
Contact:
Ron Clarke, Wildsight Invermere branch president
403-660-6343 cell 250-342-3039 h. • rvclarke@shaw.ca
