Well, folks, here we are heading into mid-summer and the contentious Woodfibre LNG proposal is heating up to the point where Coun. Heintzman has suggested it should be put to a referendum.
No doubt, playing the plebiscite card will provide council with a clearer picture of where the public stands on a divisive issue that has inconveniently materialized during an election year. Conversely, it is also an imperfect polling instrument fraught with challenges.
Voter turnout for municipal elections has historically been thin, usually in the 40 per cent range. So, we are left to wonder whether a referendum will be a true barometer of public opinion. As well, we cannot assume that a majority of eligible voters will disapprove of the project simply because the anti-LNG lobby has been more vocal and animated than their opponents.
For all we know, LNG supporters may be the silent majority. Barring significant unforeseen obstacles, if more than 50 per cent of voters favour the proposal, that clear endorsement will hasten the venture’s journey into done-deal territory.
It is common knowledge Premier Christy Clark will do everything within her power to fast-track the provincial tax and job bonanza the liquid natural gas sector could provide for B.C. Technically, even if the proposal is rejected by a majority of residents and our municipal council, it could still go ahead.
Whatever direction it takes, the referendum is non-binding and would be similar to other polls conducted to measure voter sentiment. The DOS has no regulatory power in this matter, other than issuing business licences, building permits and development permit approval.
Should the plant require a Riparian Development Permit, the DOS cannot challenge the application on those grounds alone, as long as the company abides by setback and related regulations. And there is likely little recourse under the Official Community Plan.
The Woodfibre location is designated industrial in the OCP and the general belief is it complies with municipal zoning and OCP designations. However, similar to the CHIPS debate of 2000-’01 (in which a proposed wood-chip facility failed to pass muster as “light industrial”), a B.C Supreme Court challenge could be the final arbiter.
Ultimately, as Coun. Heintzman revealed in a recent email exchange, despite the district having little say in the final decision, an anti-Woodfibre LNG referendum result will send a hard-to-ignore political message to the proponents and the provincial government. She believes if the project is given the green light anyway, “then we need to get the best possible deal for the community and the environment.”
