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SLRD won’t delay IPP decision despite residents’ request

Ashlu Creek public hearing expected in the coming months, other approvals in place

The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District will not delay making a decision on the controversial Ashlu Creek Independent Power Project in the coming months despite a recent plea from community members.

At Monday’s regular board meeting a delegation of residents from the Upper Squamish Valley, including Tom Rankin, appealed to the SLRD board members to postpone their consideration of the rezoning application for the Ashlu Creek IPP.

"We feel that the process is being purchased," said Rankin, who represents 80 per cent of the local residents, totalling roughly 80 people.

"It’s all money at work."

The residents, who have formed the Upper Squamish Valley Rural Association, have filed an objection against the project with the Land and Water BC. That objection sets in motion a process where the Minister of Sustainable Resources must decide whether or not a hearing is necessary for the application.

The residents asked for a delay in the SLRD process to allow their objection to go through the proper process.

The proposed run of river project on the Ashlu Creek, roughly 35 kilometres northwest of Squamish, is one of a number of power project applications on creeks and rivers in the Sea to Sky corridor.

Considered "green" energy sources, run of river projects divert a portion of water from the creek and funnel it down a steep pipeline to a powerhouse. There the water is used to make energy through powerful turbines before it is directed back into the creek.

In addition to producing enough energy for 23,000 homes per year, which is enough energy for all the homes in the SLRD, the Ashlu Creek proponents also intend to provide a number of community amenities.

"The approach we’ve taken is to provide specific contributions to the community as part of the project based on the actual needs," said Ledcor Power’s Project Manager Kelly Boychuk, after Monday’s meeting.

"Whether it’s an IPP project or a new pulp mill or something, there’s always some kind of benefits that are (given) to the community as part of these projects."

Boychuk used the new Rutherford Creek Power Project, located halfway between Whistler and Pemberton, as an example.

Part of the community benefits to the SLRD in that project included the construction of an Olympic-calibre kayaking park, running for almost one kilometre alongside the creek.

The park was constructed as part of a deal between the power developers and the Whitewater Kayaking Association of British Columbia because the kayakers lost one of the area’s most popular kayaking runs after the project’s construction.

Proposed community benefits from the Ashlu include a $250,000 contribution to repair the Cheakamus River Bridge deck.

Ledcor also plans to give the residents of the Upper Squamish Valley a community amenity, such as a playground, basketball court or a swimming pool.

Along with power, the project will also generate roughly $10 million in local wages, as hiring preference will be given to local workers and members of the Squamish Nation.

A partnership deal has been arranged with the Squamish Nation but the details of that deal were not available.

Rankin questioned how anyone could be expected to make a rational decision on the project in light of these various amenities.

"At this moment in time we realize that the whole process is being brought down to a payment situation," he said.

"We’d like to ask the board of the SLRD to postpone the application for rezoning."

In May the project had its first public hearing in Squamish.

At that time the SLRD board members decided they needed more information on the project before taking it to the next step in the approval process.

Throughout the summer the district has been gathering that information. Board members have also been taken via helicopter to the area.

"We did in fact postpone the process," said Board Chair Susan Gimse.

"I think that we as a board have acted responsibly."

She added that the board is still awaiting confirmation from staff that they have all the relevant information before calling the second public hearing.

Ledcor is expecting to have all project approvals in place, except the SLRD’s rezoning, by the end of September.

Specifically they are waiting for the completion of their environmental assessment. That assessment consists of provincial and federal environmental reviews of the project.

Only projects generating more than 50 megawatts of electricity trigger the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. Those under 50 megawatts are usually handled by provincial agencies.

"We knew that we were going to be close to 50 megawatts and we knew that there would be scrutiny on various things so… we wrote a letter to the various federal agencies voluntarily activating the CEA process so… that way we’d satisfy any doubters out there," said Boychuk.

Rankin said that CEA is just one process which is put into place when a large project, totaling 50 megawatts or more, is proposed.

Once that step has been completed the SLRD will schedule a second public hearing. The next step will be to put the rezoning application to a vote at the board table.