Wednesday, September 11, 2013

OVER EIGHT HUNDRED LOCALS WEIGH IN ON NEW BC WATER LAW

Petition Released As Local Councillors Head To Annual Political Convention

(Cowichan Valley, BC) Today the citizens group One Cowichan released the results of its summer outreach at events around the valley. Over eight hundred locals signed a petition to BC Environment Minister Mary Polak asking for new water legislation to include provisions enabling local control and for public consultations on the issue.

One Cowichan has asked local councillors to carry this message to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), due to kick off next week.

“We are concerned that Minister Polak is not talking about local control nor being clear on whether there will be open public consultations on the new water law,” said Parker Jefferson of One Cowichan. “If we are to avoid disasters like last summer’s mismanagement of flows in the Cowichan River or the dumping of toxic soil in Shawnigan, then we need to start making decisions at the local level.”

Local governments, including the Cowichan Valley Regional District, Cowichan Tribes, Duncan and Lake Cowichan have passed resolutions supporting local control. There are various draft resolutions raising water concerns at the UBCM and One Cowichan is calling on valley councillors going to the convention to press for local control as a key solution to these concerns.

“In talking to people at public events this summer it was clear that there is wide support for local control,” said Jefferson. “Now it’s really up to the elected people who represent us to ensure that the new law reflects the will of the people.”

The One Cowichan petition to Minister Polak can be found at www.onecowichan.ca

One Cowichan is a citizens group that works to make the Cowichan Valley a great place to live, work and play. It believes in holding decision makers accountable to the strong social and environmental values that join us together as a community, and in celebrating this beautiful place - our home.

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For more information call Parker Jefferson at 250-737-1463