Council has less power than you think. If you are resident in Squamish, it would be very difficult to not be aware of the debate over liquefied natural gas that is currently underway. Despite any of our opinions about whether the project should or shouldn’t proceed, the debate itself is a healthy form of democracy in action, and I applaud all who entered the fray. For the record, I’m a fan of the project.
There has been much discussion about how the mayor and council have voted in response to the application by FortisBC to do test drilling on the proposed site of a pumping station. The drilling is intended to determine if the site is indeed suitable to build such a station, and information about the subterranean conditions is necessary to make an informed decision. To delay or stop that from occurring would prevent the company from obtaining the very thing that everyone, including those on council, says is needed – good information.
If and when an application is made to actually develop the site, the District of Squamish has the obligation to review the development application and ensure it meets the pre-established criteria that have been set out for such developments. Among other things, this would include proper zoning, public safety, facility size, setbacks, noise emissions, etc. If these conditions are satisfied, then the district will have a very difficult time turning the project down, and to be honest, that’s a good thing. I don’t think any of us would be very happy if we planned to build a house that met all municipal requirements and were rejected merely because a councillor didn’t like the legal business we happened to operate.
The regulators that will decide if the project proceeds are provincial and federal. The district actually plays a small role in the approval process, although I agree with all of those people that have said this (or something like it) to those on council: Tell us publicly where you stand. It’s hard to debate with someone who is sitting on the fence.
For those who are concerned about safety, I encourage everyone to consider the following. A station such as the one proposed has multiple remote sensors, redundant shut-down systems, real-time flow monitoring, a very strict inspection regime and is designed and constructed with significant engineered factors of safety. The gas line into your house is plastic and will probably never be inspected after installation. And even that is a very safe system.
As former Prime Minister John Diefenbaker told us more than 50 years ago, “I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country.”
I’m glad to see many people abiding by that wisdom.
Keith Sones
Squamish
