Our competitors northwestern Australia, Texas and Qatar do not have the beauty or the accessibility of Howe Sound.
The sound — all 42 km of it — can and will be the playground for the Lower Mainland millions. The Sea to Sky Corridor is an attraction that is a world-class gem that stands with the best in the world. Would you put an LNG facility on the Almalfi coast, Cannon Beach or Big Sur?
This beauty of the area was featured during the Olympics and we are starting to reap benefits from that showcasing. The Britannia Mine Museum is a strong case in point — a site that was described as “worst point of mineral contamination in North America” is now an award-winning tourist destination. Much credit must go the companies and the mining associations in Canada for having that vision to create the proverbial “silk purse.” The world has become more aware of this asset when the awards starting to come in from 2010 to 2013.
We need to focus on long-term strategies as the payoffs are measured in decades. The LNG plant is, in my opinion, an example of pernicious short-term thinking. If the long-term goal for Squamish and the sound is to be the world-class playground for all, then adding an LNG plant and 40 bulk carrier shipments will go a long way in “raining” on that long-term goal.
We must focus on the goal, not look to politicians who are so focused on re-election — that is, the next vote is more important than proper governance.
The B.C. government estimates that more than 30 years LNG tax revenue will make us debt free and fund a $100 billion prosperity fund. That number was based on potential revenues before the Russian-China CNG deal, and early projections from this deal suggest a possible 50 per cent drop in revenues. The B.C. government has not set the LNG tax rate and some experts point out the fund is now more likely to be in the range of $12 to $48 billion, not $100 billion.
The proposed LNG plant is a short-term obsession that is not in tune with the majority’s long-term vision of Squamish, the sound and corridor.
We must ask ourselves: What is our goal?
Gord Homer
Furry Creek
