A controversial new way of extracting natural gas, known as hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’, is growing at an alarming rate in British Columbia.

That’s why we have produced a new report called, ‘Stop Fracking Now: Gas Industry Threatens Northern Rockies’, which examines the impacts this industry is having on water, human health and on the climate.

To better understand the extent of this new wave of gas development, I travelled to the region on the frontlines of fracking. I had the pleasure of visiting the beautiful Peace River Valley in northeastern BC, and with the stunning backdrop of the Rocky Mountains in the distance, travelled the length of the curving Peace River to the town of Hudson's Hope.

The entire region was under heavy water restrictions because of a long drought and sustained heatwave and many farmers’ fields had turned brown. So imagine my surprise when I stood on the banks of the region’s Williston Reservoir and saw giant pipelines snaking out of its waters.

Dozens of liquid transport trucks were lined up, filling up with tens of thousands of litres of freshwater. But these massive trucks weren’t carrying water for gardens or for farms; instead the water was being shipped off to service the unquenchable thirst of the big and oil and gas companies.

The process of fracking blasts water laden with toxic chemicals down into the earth to fracture shale bedrock and release natural gas. Gas companies like Talisman Energy are using this process to access deposits of gas that they have been unable to reach, opening up huge tracts of Canada’s wilderness to destruction and poisoning vast amounts of freshwater.

My journey to the Peace River Valley offered just a glimpse of the devastation that comes with fracking: huge clear-cuts, massive tailing ponds, toxic gas flaring, and pipeline after pipeline.

All over the world, governments are taking real action to address and curtail fracking. Quebec has brought in a moratorium. So have France, and US states like New Jersey. Even Texas legislators are talking about taking action. Shamefully, BC lags far behind, with fracking expanding at an alarming rate.

We need to make this a public issue across the province, and we need to start by raising public awareness. Please help us spread the word about this pressing issue by sharing our copies our new publication with your friends, neighbours and community.

Contact us at emma@wildernesscommittee.org and let us know how many copies you would like and your mailing address and we will get them in the mail to you ASAP. Then on your next visit to your local coffee shop, library or doctor's office, help get the word out by just dropping off a few copies.

Together we can do better.

Tria Donaldson | Campaigner
Wilderness Committee