The BC Resources Coalition (BCRC) is calling for more talks and communication when it comes to industrial projects coming to Prince George.
According to President of the BCRC Paul Tiefensee during tonight’s (Monday) city council meeting, the recent approach to projects like the West Coast Olefins (WCO) Ethylene Project Plant raised some red flags.
“Our concern is not with the WCO project itself, and nor do we represent projects or speak to them or against them. What concerns us is the critical approach seen in the UVic ELC request which, if adopted will create an unwelcome precedent for how economic and environmental balance is achieved in the future.”
Tiefensee said the BCRC aims to be an unbiased coalition, and just wants information to be readily available from both sides.
A powerpoint presentation noted that the completion risk for industrial projects needs to be managed by Environmental Assessments, and not pressure groups.
Tiefensee said that project assessment should be looked at with open minds and for people to not say no for the sake of saying no.
“We want to try and differentiate that resource development projects are typically tagged very easily as a bad project. And the other projects, which are renewable energy emissions and clean tech are often seen as a good project.”
He notes that those good projects still require resources, but that if we take these resource development projects on ourselves we can monitor them properly.
“And all of us need to be responsible in making sure its environmentally conscious, socially acceptable, and provide some sort of economy for us that’s sustainable so we can have the quality of life that we are accustomed to.”
Tiefensee said these projects will go elsewhere if they don’t go here, adding that other countries may not take the environmental impact of these projects as seriously as BC does.
One of the slides in the presentation also stated that money has been leaving Canada for the past few years and that we don’t have enough Foreign direct investment in the country.
Councillor Cori Ramsay said she recognized how daunting the BCRC’s task is.
“Right off the bat, industry probably gets a really bad rap. Just a lot of negative connotations that go along with it. So I do think you have your work cut out for you.”
Councillor Brian Skakun said that there needs to be balance, but that he looks forward to more conversations in the future.
“Are we open for business? For sure, but we need to balance economic prosperity with environmental responsibility. I look forward to more information coming out from both sides.”
The council also had an update about the remaining West Coast Olefins projects just outside of the city near Pineview, and it was discussed that the topic would not be coming back to council as the land that will be used in the city limits is zoned for that kind of industry.
The zoning for the land needed for the expansion of the Tidewater Midstream plant also got the green light as well.
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