Discussions will take place between the three local governments regarding a financial share in power generation in qathet region.
At the C3 (community-to-community-to-community) meeting on February 23, between representatives of the City of Powell River, Tla’amin Nation and qathet Regional District, the matter of the prospect of energy being exported to the United States from local power generating facilities was reviewed.
City of Powell River councillor Cindy Elliott said recently, the local power-generating company [Evolugen] had asked for a British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) regulation, and it had been brought to the city’s attention that since the Catalyst Paper Tis’kwat mill is closed, and the energy company no longer provides power to the mill, they [Evolugen] would need an exemption to sell power to the United States.
“I think it’s long overdue to have revenue from that power generating and selling come back to the region to help us environmentally, to address the environmental impacts that have happened as a result of that dam,” said Elliott. “Even though they [Evolugen] have withdrawn the [BCUC] application, I believe it will come forward again in the future and we should regionally give it some thought and become organized around that idea.”
City councillor Maggie Hathaway said there is precedent in that there is the Columbia Basin Trust and the people in that area receive money from energy generation.
“I think there’s an example we might want to take a look at,” said Hathaway. “As a city council I’d like to follow through with what we need to do.”
Tla’amin Nation executive councillor Dillon Johnson said there is still an application by Evolugen to export power that is before the Canada Energy Regulator (CER).
“We are still pursuing our opposition to that application,” said Johnson. “We were relieved that the BCUC one was dropped. We are doing some research to provide more detail around some of our objections.
“The operation of that infrastructure down there [at the mill] has historical impacts. We have our Lot 450-specific claim and we have treaty rights along the lakeshore and water levels. We have a keen interest in this topic.”
Mayor Dave Formosa, who hosted the C3 meeting, said the City of Powell River has an interest as well. He said city officials had met with Evolugen.
“I guess the issue for all of us is, would we be united on trying to have the proponent or government or utility commission step in to create a fund that would go to the people of our region, whereby the funds could be used collectively for say, climate change or issues of mutual interest?” asked Formosa. “Would that be something we would unite on and apply for and apply pressure together, or would each government go on its own?”
Formosa said he would never support the prospect of the exportation of power if a group was to come into the mill site and not have access to the power.
“We need that tax base and we need those jobs,” said Formosa. “That’s a good portion of our budget. There’s no way in my mind that unless there is an absolute guarantee that if the site got completed and required that power, and had it contractually guaranteed, I would never support it.”
Elliott said it would be good if the parties could agree that if not the Columbia basin model, perhaps there could be some model that prevents all the revenue from that asset leaving the region.
“I’m worried that the company will use our disorganization to move forward without opposition and get approval to export energy and not share,” said Elliott.
Formosa said the city was trying to keep tax revenues and job opportunities intact as far as the power availability is concerned.
“We should make sure we share our information and collaborate,” said Formosa. “I think we all agree. Can we unite on this thought of a trust for use in this area? We should all go away and think about this.”
Formosa said time was of the essence and he thought that the three governments should give the matter consideration quickly. He thought the matter could be left to the three chief administrative officers to carry on discussions, to which there was agreement.
