Environment Canada officials are looking into the recent B.C. Hydro tree cutting in the Hospital Hill/Smoke Bluffs area for possible violations of a federal statute that prohibits disturbance to migratory birds or their nests.
The Canadian Wildlife Service, an arm of Environment Canada, “is aware of the incident that occurred near Hospital Hill in Squamish,” beginning in early April, Danny Kingsberry, a media relations officer with Environment Canada in Ottawa, wrote in an email to The Chief last Thursday (May 15).
Beginning around April 7, a crew working for B.C. Hydro cleared trees as part of a “vegetation management” project under its power lines in the Hospital Hill/Smoke Bluffs area. While a B.C. Hydro official insisted work crews take steps to avoid unnecessary disturbance to birds and their nests, area residents questioned both the extent of the cutting and timing of the work during bird nesting season.
One resident told The Chief she found dead birds in the area around the time the work was taking place.
Kingsberry said Environment Canada officials are looking into the matter for possible violations of the Migratory Bird Convention Act, which makes it an offence to disturb or destroy migratory birds’ nests or eggs.
He declined to elaborate on the nature or timing of the investigation. “Wildlife officials and enforcement officers are assessing the situation and as such, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time,” Kingsberry wrote.
B.C. Hydro officials have said the District of Squamish’s only involvement in the clearing was to ask that the work be done before a planned DOS project to upgrade a water main in the area, rather than in September as initially planned.
Last Thursday, a number of residents attended an open house at municipal hall to discus the water main project. Brian Vincent, who lives on Clarke Drive, on Tuesday (May 20) said the group was told that while work will begin next month near Vista Crescent, work on the portion under the power lines will begin in late July. The work plan doesn’t include any further tree removal, Vincent said.
“I’ll give the district credit — they clearly heard the residents’ concerns and have responded in putting together their plans for the water main” and for upgrades to the nearby Hunter Trail, Vincent said.
Vincent, though, said residents want to know why DOS officials met to discuss plans for the Hunter Trail realignment on Jan. 24 with the proponents of the nearby Kingswood development and the Squamish Trails Society without inviting area residents.
“Appearances matter, so when government officials reach out to a big corporate developer that wants to complete a project, but they don’t reach out to the affected property owners, it makes you wonder,” he said.
There is no relation between the water main project and the Kingswood development or the B.C. Hydro clearing, the district’s director of engineering Rod MacLeod told District of Squamish council at a regular council meeting on Tuesday. The DOS seems to be the victim of gossip, Coun. Ron Sander said.
“I think there was a bit of a conspiracy theory that erupted,” he said.
