THE WESTERN CANADA WILDERNESS COMMITTEE HAS WELCOMED A CONSULTANTS' STUDY THAT CONCLUDES THERE IS NO NEED...FOR THE MOMENT...FOR A HIGHWAY EXPANSION THROUGH GOLDSTREAM OR SOOKE HILLS PARKS. AND, THE WILDERNESS COMMITTEE CLAIMS CREDIT FOR THAT CONCLUSION.

IN A PREPARED STATEMENT TODAY, "W-C SQUARED" SAYS THE STUDY'S INTERIM RECOMMENDATIONS APPEARED WEIGHTED IN FAVOUR OF HIGHWAY EXPANSION, WHICH WOULD HAVE MEANT MORE DAMAGE EITHER TO GOLDSTREAM PARK OR THE NIAGRA VALLEY IN THE SOOKE HILLS...OR BOTH. THE COMMITTEE SAYS IT "WORKED TO EDUCATE AND MOBILIZE HUNDREDS OF CITIZENS TO LET THEIR VOICES BE HEARD DURING THE PUBLIC INPUT PROCESSES". THE WILDERNESS COMMITTEE WELCOMES THE RECOMMENDATION FOR COMMUTER BUSES TO TRY TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CARS ON THE HIGHWAY, AND ADDS "WE ASSUME THE BC GOVERNMENT WILL SHELVE ANY HIGHWAY EXPANSION PLANS ALONG THE MALAHAT IN LIGHT OF THIS STUDY