About 100 protesters gathered at the Sunshine Coast Regional District office in Sechelt Aug. 23 to protest mining and logging in the Chapman Creek watershed.
Gertrude Pacific, one of the protesters, said she was there because "I don't want to have a boil water advisory for the rest of my life."
The occasion was a visit by MP John Reynolds and MLA Harold Long, together with local politicians and bureaucrats, to the site of a proposed gravel mine near the SCRD's water intake.
"The goal was to elicit some kind of public statement from Harold Long and John Reynolds on two issues: the AJB mine application and the feasibility of achieving local control over the watershed," said Kate Monks, a private citizen who initiated the politicians' visit.
Reynolds, in an interview from his Ottawa office Aug. 26, said, "I share the concerns of the people."
Reynolds said he plans to write a letter to B.C.'s mines minister about AJB Investments Ltd.'s mining application. However, the MP would not elaborate on his concerns about the mine, saying he needed to do more research first.
Long said AJB's mining application will get intense scrutiny from the mining ministry before a permit is issued.
"I have been asked by people to state my position," said Long. "In my view, if the water were to be compromised, the project should not move ahead that's going to be up to the studies through the ministries and the permitting process."
However, Sechelt mayor Cam Reid said the studies on possible effects of the mine might not be conclusive. "There's so many unanswered questions with AJB," said Reid.
The SCRD, as well as other local governments and citizens' groups, have been vigorously opposing the application by AJB to establish a 13-hectare gravel pit on the east side of Chapman Creek. SCRD directors have also been arguing that since the regional district is responsible for providing drinking water, they, rather than the provincial government, should have authority over logging, mining and other activities in the watershed.
Long disagreed, pointing to the Powell River watershed around Haslam Lake as an example where logging and domestic water uses coexist without problems.
"The regional district is saying it is a control issue," said Long. "We should be working together for the common goal of good, clean water."
Long described the protest which greeted the politicians as the work of "special interest groups."
"I just want to make sure my constituents, all my constituents, are well-informed about the issue," said Long.
According to Gibsons Mayor Barry Janyk, many of those protesters were affiliated with the Council of Canadians or the Water First group, while others were simply concerned residents. Some of them have formed a new group called the Sunshine Coast Regional District Clear Ice Cube Society and launched a website at clearwater.sechelt.info describing the issues around the AJB mine proposal.
Janyk said protecting the watershed is not a special interest, and he planned to seek support from the Powell River Regional District for local control of the Chapman Creek watershed.
"It will become apparent to [Long] he has all his constituent governments in unison on this matter," said Janyk.
Janyk said while AJB representatives argued for the merits and environmental safety of the proposed mine, "what is at issue is the condition of the entire watershed."
"It's already in perilous condition," said Janyk. "They see their project in isolation AJB got a pretty good indication from both the public representatives and the regional representatives this project does not have a lot of merit."
Janyk and Reid both questioned how AJB plans to transport gravel from the mine.
"My suspicion is they're going to shunt it over Chapman Creek by conveyor and dump it onto Construction Aggregates land," said Janyk. "Very little new information was provided by the representatives."
Reid said transportation would present problems whether AJB ships the gravel through Construction Aggregates or trucks it down Field Road.
"Field Road is not built to a standard that could maintain heavy traffic," said Reid.
Reid said the AJB owners must have been aware, when they bought this and other forest lands in the watershed from Canadian Forest Products last year, that this was a contentious area.
"I'm sure they've taken it into account and recognized their gravel application would not go forward without resistance," said Reid. "Canfor did not come forward looking for a gravel permit when they owned the land."
Several of the politicians who visited the proposed mine site were also troubled to realize just how close the Sechelt landfill is to Chapman Creek. The dump lies opposite the proposed gravel mine, west of Chapman Creek.
Reynolds said he will ask Canada's Minister of Environment, Stéphane Dion, to find out what studies have been done or should be done on leaching from the landfill.
Long and Reid shared Reynolds' concerns about the dump.
"I was surprised to see how close our garbage dump was to our water sources," said Reid. "I will be asking for some assurances there is no leaching."
Long said he had a "grave concern" about the dump.
"The water flow is actually east from the landfill to Chapman Creek," said Long. "I can see the lay of the land."
However, Dan Bouman of the Sunshine Coast Conservation Association disagreed, saying the landfill does not pose a threat to Chapman Creek.
"I don't think [Long] has looked at a topographical map," he said.
Bouman said the landfill lies close to the western ridge of the Chapman Creek ravine but does not drain into its watershed.
"If anything does show up from that landfill, [leaching] will be into Porpoise Bay," said Bouman.
He added that the real question is who should make decisions about the watershed.
"Landfill or not, I think this community should have the authority to make decisions on activities of this sort," said Bouman.
