Shawnigan Creek Coho- CVRD Supreme Court Ruling to Hault Soil Dumping Overturned in Appeals Court

Just another example of how a questionable business venture gets the endless support from the BC Liberal party despite the negative environmental impacts and the strong opposition from the local community. Be interesting to find out if and how much $ those behind this toxic soil dump contributed to Ms. Clark and Co.???
 
Whole in the Water said:
Just another example of how a questionable business venture gets the endless support from the BC Liberal party despite the negative environmental impacts and the strong opposition from the local community. Be interesting to find out if and how much $ those behind this toxic soil dump contributed to Ms. Clark and Co.???
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A quick check did not turn up anything obvious but I don't have all the names to search on. If others are interested there is a website to do searches on political donations here in BC. Here is a link that you can follow that has interesting info. (hint... click on the amount coloum twice to sort from highest to lowest)
http://contributions.electionsbc.gov.bc.ca/pcs/SA1ASearchResults.aspx?Contributor=&PartySK=0&Party=(ALL)&DateTo=2017/12/31&DateFrom=2014/01/01&DFYear=2014&DFMonth=01&DFDay=01&DTYear=2017&DTMonth=12&DTDay=31
 
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Whole in the Water said:
Just another example of how a questionable business venture gets the endless support from the BC Liberal party despite the negative environmental impacts and the strong opposition from the local community. Be interesting to find out if and how much $ those behind this toxic soil dump contributed to Ms. Clark and Co.???
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I don't think you can attribute this behaviour to any one party or any one Premier unfortunately. That would be an overly simplistic view, held by supporters of the opposition, to justify their faith in them. Fact is if you wanted to blame a single party, in BC anyway, it would be the "one in power". They have all had issues!
 
Minister Polak has suspended permit and given company a number of days to comply or it will be cancelled. It's on the news tonight.
 
ziggy said:
I don't think you can attribute this behaviour to any one party or any one Premier unfortunately. That would be an overly simplistic view, held by supporters of the opposition, to justify their faith in them. Fact is if you wanted to blame a single party, in BC anyway, it would be the "one in power". They have all had issues!
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I disagree not in this case. Mary Polak and Christy Clark were given 10 of thousands of petitions from the the citizens in this area and beyond effected by this in the legislature. They both got up when they were delivered and walked out. Yes that actually happened. Minister Lake, Minister Bennet and the rest of the team in the caucus used to laugh and joke when Shawnigan issue was brought up legislature.

As far as I am concerned this BC liberal party has created this mess and now its time to do that right thing. The premier fully knows what is going on and could have gotten involved in the beginning.
 
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Ya but I'd bet if premier Clark's home was downstream of this travesty leaching pollutants into the lake her home used as drinking water I imagine this whole fiasco would never have occurred in the first place.
 
SpringVelocity said:
I disagree not in this case. Mary Polak and Christy Clark were given 10 of thousands of petitions from the the citizens in this area and beyond effected by this in the legislature. They both got up when they were delivered and walked out. Yes that actually happened. Minister Lake, Minister Bennet and the rest of the team in the caucus used to laugh and joke when Shawnigan issue was brought up legislature.

As far as I am concerned this BC liberal party has created this mess and now its time to do that right thing. The premier fully knows what is going on and could have gotten involved in the beginning.
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I assume you must be talking question period, I believe caucus is not open to the public. During question period both sides heckle and show disdain to their counterparts across from them. I agree it's pretty immature and totally partisan and unnecessary. As for petitions as far as I know they are delivered to the Speaker when question period wraps up,not the Minister. If so, their walking out is not surprising, pretty much all leave on completion of Question Period. I wouldn't read too much into that.

My point is that while I totally understand your anger, everything you described is unfortunately commonplace both Federally and Provincially in Canadian politics, regardless of party. I'm not talking specific issues, just the system in general.That needs to change IMO!
 
ziggy said:
I assume you must be talking question period, I believe caucus is not open to the public. During question period both sides heckle and show disdain to their counterparts across from them. I agree it's pretty immature and totally partisan and unnecessary. As for petitions as far as I know they are delivered to the Speaker when question period wraps up,not the Minister. If so, their walking out is not surprising, pretty much all leave on completion of Question Period. I wouldn't read too much into that.

My point is that while I totally understand your anger, everything you described is unfortunately commonplace both Federally and Provincially in Canadian politics, regardless of party. I'm not talking specific issues, just the system in general.That needs to change IMO!
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It doesn't matter if the public was there. There as 15,000 signatures on the petition. Only Clark and Polak walked out. It was extremely disrespectful and rude. You can not agree but at least give your voters some acknowledgment. Christy Clark needs to go.
 
Another Wild West Show? BC’s Regulatory Experiment with Professional Reliance
Critics say it amounts to deregulation and less government oversight.
xAndrew-Nikiforuk-Bio_square_thumb.jpg.pagespeed.ic.EOz_9g2HVS.jpg
By Andrew Nikiforuk Today | TheTyee.ca
https://thetyee.ca/News/2017/02/21/BC-Professional-Reliance-Experiment/
 
http://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/jdb-txt/sc/17/01/2017BCSC0107.htm
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

Citation: Shawnigan Residents Association v. British Columbia (Director, Environmental Management Act),

2017 BCSC 107

Date: 20170124

Docket: 151867

Registry: Victoria

Between: Shawnigan Residents Association

Petitioner

And

Director, Environmental Management Act,
Cobble Hill Holdings Ltd. and
Environmental Appeal Board
 
The government has cancelled the permit watch the news tonight. More to come... a big victory for community and the enhancement project in shawnigan creek.
 
Here's an article about the cancellation. Copied from castanets news service;

The Canadian Press - Feb 23 1:20 pm
British Columbia's environment minister has cancelled a waste discharge permit for the company operating a controversial dumping site for contaminated soil on Vancouver Island.

Mary Polak says in a statement that effective immediately the permit for Cobble Hill Holdings has been cancelled because the company has failed to meet disclosure requirements on outstanding non-compliance issues.

Last month, the Environment Ministry suspended the permit for the company's operations in an old quarry near Shawnigan Lake, about 25 kilometres north of Victoria.

Polak's statement says the company was given 15 business days to provide three documents, including an irrevocable letter of credit, but only two of the documents were provided.

Numerous protests by a residents group against the facility have been underway since 2013 when the ministry approved the permit for dumping annually up to 100,000 tonnes of contaminated soil within the Shawnigan Lake watershed.

Polak's statement says her ministry is ensuring material on the property is managed in a way that does not present a risk to human health or the environment.
 
Now the taxpayer will be on the hook to pay cleanup costs for all the contaminated dirt already there.
 
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Great news. Good on the locals citizens for their continued fight for what it right!

Now citizens need to push to make sure taxpayers don't have to pay for everything to clean up the mess a private company made.
 
We heard that the company that owns the facility has filed an appeal on Judge Sewell decision. Not sure why but its interesting. If this goes to court this will likely cost the community more money. The document application is the first one at the top. What is not known is if the company can re apply for permit and resubmit it the environmental assessment board. The clause that minister used to cancel has never been used before.

http://www.thesra.ca/about-the-sra/legal-action-archive
 
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The environment minister sent out a memo last week to the company. Two options remove soil or leave it there and cap and close down the site.

The leave it there thing suggested by minister is really shocking and scary.

I suppose this media release in response to that letter.

We could see the company go into court and sue government but that is only speculation at this point.

All information and letter from minister is available on MOE website.

I suspect this issue is far from over.
 
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