Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Lillooet LRMP rejected again

Underlying tension between rural residents who live and work in area and urban environmentalists and recreationalists who use region as a playground The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District reaffirmed its resolution to reject the Lillooet Land and Res

Underlying tension between rural residents who live and work in area and urban environmentalists and recreationalists who use region as a playground

The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District reaffirmed its resolution to reject the Lillooet Land and Resource Management Plan at a board meeting Monday, despite the concerns of conservation and recreation groups.

The SLRD board voted 8-1 in favour of standing by their decision. The lone vote against the resolution was from Whistler Mayor Hugh O’Reilly.

During last month’s board meeting, the resolution passed with unanimous support including that of O’Reilly.

The SLRD board believes a true consensus was not reached on the plan because two options were forwarded to the NDP government during its last days in office. The NDP then chose the "greener" option.

"We feel there should only be one option," said Russ Oakley, the SLRD’s Area A director who represented the Gold Bridge-Bralorne area at the LRMP table. "The process ended up failing. But if it came back to the community, a consensus could be reached – and the board agrees."

Sheila McLean, the SLRD’s Area B director, brought forth the original resolution. Area B consists of the rural area around Lillooet that includes Yalakom, Bridge River, Seton, Shalalth, Texas Creek, Fountain Valley, Pavilion and Duffey Lake.

Oakley said the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, whose boundaries also fall within the Lillooet LRMP planning area, supports the SLRD resolution.

Meanwhile, conservationists say a consensus has been reached and that the SLRD is undermining the whole land-use planning process.

"People have invested five years of their life into this and a consensus was reached," said Eckhard Zeidler of the Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment. "But the SLRD has chosen not to respect that."

Zeidler is AWARE’s backyard wilderness co-ordinator and attended Monday’s SLRD board meeting along with a number of conservation and recreation groups, including the Southern Chilcotin Mountains Wilderness Society and Sierra Club of B.C.

The Federation of Mountain Clubs of B.C. and Outdoor Recreational Council of B.C. have written letters to the SLRD expressing their concern with the resolution as well.

The four groups sat at the Lillooet LRMP planning table. AWARE did not participate in the process but Zeidler said the local environmental group is now involved because they are concerned about conservation issues in "Whistler’s backyard."

He also said the SLRD resolution could affect the body’s credibility during the Sea-to-Sky LRMP process that is just getting underway.

"This could put the whole LRMP process in jeopardy," he said. "I think it’s sad and unfortunate that they’re basing their decisions on opinions instead of fact."

The debate centres on the size of the 77,000-acre Southern Chilcotin Mountains park, which was created when the provincial government decided to go with the "conservation" option instead of the "resource" option.

The newly created park, which conservationists have been lobbying for since 1937, also protects the popular Spruce Lake area.

But Oakley told Pique Newsmagazine the protected area is simply too big.

"The park covers 35 per cent of Area A and the majority of residents feel that’s a bit overdone," he said. "We’re not against parks but the whole LRMP process concentrated too much time on the Spruce Lake area.

"There needs to be a balance."

The underlying conflict is one between rural people and communities who make their livings in the region and urban people and environmental groups who use the area as a playground.

Whistler Mayor Hugh O’Reilly has previously said the current regional district boundaries do not make sense.

Oakley agreed and said it might make more sense for the SLRD’s northeastern rural areas to join the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, noting that the only all-season access to the Southern Chilcotins is via Lillooet.

The unpaved Hurley River forest service road from Pemberton to the Gold Bridge-Bralorne area is only open from the May long weekend until the first major snowfall of the year.

And while Oakley did note that more and more people from Whistler and the Lower Mainland are discovering the Southern Chilcotin region, that doesn’t necessarily mean they know what is best for the area.

"It’s just a group of people who don’t live in the area telling us what to do," he said. "We’re not ‘Whistler’s backyard.’ Backyards are where people keep their dogs."

Oakley also said that the region could be a hot spot for mining exploration, just like it was 35 years ago.

"In 1967, there were more people in this area than in Whistler," he said. "Modern, small-footprint mining is a clean industry compared to what it used to be."

Zeidler disagrees. "Is the Spruce Lake area going to be a true wilderness area or a bunch of developed valleys?" he said rhetorically.

Nonetheless, Oakley said in a telephone interview from his home in Gold Bridge that he stands by the SLRD resolution to reject the government’s decision. "I think we’re doing the right thing for our community."

Participants in the Lillooet LRMP process are supposed to begin work on phase II of the LRMP but may be held up if the new Liberal government re-opens the process.