News Release

VANCOUVER – The Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) has passed multiple resolutions calling for a delay on Site C dam construction pending more review and consultation on impacts, according to several elected officials who attended the UBCM’s 2015 convention.

"We are very happy to hear that that the UBCM will be calling for work on Site C to stop until there’s a proper review by the BC Utilities Commission (BCUC) and the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC)," said Joe Foy, National Campaign Director with the Wilderness Committee.

The newly-passed resolutions echo the recommendation from the joint federal/provincial review panel that assessed the Site C dam, which stated in its final report that the project should be referred to the BCUC. Another resolution passed by the UBCM this week calls on the BC government to rescind the Order in Council that excluded Site C dam reservoir lands from the Agricultural Land Reserve.

Despite this positive news, Foy said he was extremely distressed to learn from local people in the Peace River Valley today that clearcutting of an island at the confluence of the Peace River and Moberly River is set to begin any moment now.

"Clearcutting islands in the Peace River would eliminate important wildlife habitat,” said Foy. “We are calling on the BC government to heed the UBCM resolutions and stop work so that a proper investigation by the BCUC and the ALC can occur. This independent oversight would have already happened were it not for the provincial government’s actions to prevent proper lawful assessment."

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For more information, please contact:

Joe Foy | National Campaign Director, Wilderness Committee – (604) 880-2580

Additional resources:

UBCM Resolutions 2015
http://www.ubcm.ca/assets/Resolutions~and~Policy/Resolutions/2015-ResolutionsBook-for-web_lowres.pdf