The Sunshine Coast Regional District board gave a cold reception July 29 to AJB Investments, which plans to dig gravel mines near Chapman and McNab creeks. SCRD directors voiced strong opposition to the mines, especially the proposed Chapman Creek mine directly opposite the regional water source.
"Their only purpose is to make money by logging and mining in a community watershed. I consider it to be a profoundly despicable act," said Adrian Belshaw, director for Roberts Creek.
Other directors echoed those feelings. Elphinstone director Celia Fisher called the watershed "a sacred thing."
But it is the province which can approve or reject the mine. The SCRD's only authority is over the zoning of the land. The current zoning would not permit gravel processing, but cannot prevent logging or mining.
Alf Randall, an engineering consultant hired by AJB, said the company has revised plans for the 15-hectare mine near Chapman Creek. In response to criticism from the SCRD and Ministry of Forests, AJB has put off its plans for moving the logging road closer to Chapman Creek. The company's immediate plan is to mine above the existing road.
"AJB wishes to retain good relations with the community," said Randall.
But that did not comfort the regional directors, who were united in their opposition to the mining.
"You're planning to run gravel trucks down a forest service road, in front of our new office [on Field Rd.] and through one of our most heavily used tourist areas, Davis Bay," said Gibsons mayor Barry Janyk.
AJB also proposed a second mine near the mouth of McNab Creek, in an area where Howe Sound Pulp and Paper has constructed salmon spawning channels. Randall said the Department of Fisheries and Oceans supports the proposal, which would add another spawning channel, but when questioned said he had nothing in writing from DFO.
Bernie Mulligan, director for West Howe Sound, was furious at the McNab Creek mining proposal.
"You're going in to extract gravel out of a place where they spent close to $1 million on a fish channel," said Mulligan.
AJB, a division of the West Vancouver-based bridge company SureSpan Group, bought the two proposed mine sites and several other forest lands from Canadian Forest Products early in 2004. The company now owns more than 800 hectares of private property on the Sunshine Coast, including more than 400 hectares in the Chapman Creek watershed.
The SCRD knew the Canfor land was for sale but did not consider buying it, said SCRD chair Ed Steeves.
"Canfor sold the land for many millions of dollars. We didn't quite have the pocket change to buy it," said Steeves. "$16 million [the reputed sale price] would create quite a tax burden."
Randall said there was no plan to mine the steeper property higher up the Chapman Creek watershed.
An angry crowd of about 50 people jeered and heckled during Randall's delegation, then peppered Randall and other AJB representatives with questions as they left.
"We don't kill people here, but if looks could kill or intentions could kill " said Brad Benson, an environmentalist who has long been involved in efforts to protect the watershed.
A woman who was part of AJB Investments refused to give her name to Coast Reporter after the meeting.
"I don't feel like speaking to you right now," she said.
In response to further questions about her company's plans, the woman said if the SCRD were serious about stopping logging and mining in the watershed, it would have struck a deal with AJB already.
"We have met with the SCRD before about logging near the watershed. To my knowledge, there has been no action taken. It's very frustrating," she said.
Sechelt Indian Band director Stan Dixon had a different view of those negotiations to stop AJB logging in the watershed, which began last March.
"While we were discussing it, the timber was all knocked off," said Dixon. "The only watershed we have left [for drinking water] is Chapman Creek, and you're on the first step of destroying that."
Steeves said he recently met with George Abbott, minister responsible for Land and Water B.C., to discuss the SCRD's concerns about the watershed. They also talked about finding an alternate source of fibre to compensate AJB for stopping logging.
