Stand with Shawnigan on January 6, 2015
Over the next 50, the BC government is allowing up to 50 million tonnes of contaminated soil to be dumped in an area near the Shawnigan and Sooke Lake reservoirs. The Save Shawnigan Water community is vehemently opposed to this contract, and has been peacefully protesting this signed contract. Here is a bird’s eye view of the site.
On Wednesday, January 6th the Save Shawnigan Water community is inviting media and politicians to Shawnigan Lake to see the contaminated landfill and the two adjacent lakes – Shawnigan Lake and Sooke Lake – from the air by helicopter.
They also want to demonstrate their significant opposition to the site, and invite all people to stand with the community in a peaceful demonstration on the side of Stebbings Road, across the road from the landfill site, beginning at 9 am.
More information is on their Facebook event page (click the image).
https://www.facebook.com/events/878333202284637/
Backgrounder
- The BC provincial government has approved a contaminated landfill at the headwaters of Shawnigan’s Designated Community Watershed, which supplies drinking water for 12,000 people.
- The Shawnigan community has been vehemently opposed to this proposal from the very beginning, and they do not accept the risk this site poses to their water, their community, and their future.
- While the BC government says that the “science” makes this site safe, the reality is that only one engineering company – the company paid by the site owners – claims the site is safe. This is the same company that made significant errors in its assessment of the site. Ten independent scientists have raised serious concerns about the location, the geology, the hydrogeology, the water treatment system, and the engineering at the site.
- There are currently two BC Supreme Court cases active right now, one disputing the legality of the facility based on local land-use bylaws the second disputing the decision of the Environmental Appeal Board. Yet the BC government allows dumping to continue while these cases make their way through the courts.
Past SPN articles on Shawnigan Lake
- Green MLA seeks answers as an engineer report finds no conflict of interest re contaminated soil at Shawnigan
- Minister Polak cancels contaminated soil permit, Shawnigan Lake
- Dumping toxic soil near Shawnigan Lake temporarily halted
- Plain English report of April 6 court events; Second Shawnigan Lake court ruling expected on Friday, April 15
- Cowichan watershed-protection community celebrates victory
- ICYMI: W5 probes contaminated soil dump uphill from Shawnigan Lake in “Trouble in Paradise”
- NDP critical of increasing carbon emissions under Clark’s leadership
- SRA update on the contaminated soil dumping happening near Shawnigan and Sooke water reserves
- Stand with Shawnigan on January 6, 2015
- CHEK News covers the nine arrests at Shawnigan Lake, on Tues Dec 22
- Hacktivist group Anonymous turns attention to Shawnigan Lake
- Andrew Weaver, MLA, calls for immediate stop to toxic soil dumped near Shawnigan/Sooke water reservoirs
- BC Gov designates Vancouver Island the provincial toxic dumping ground; Shawnigan Lake, Sooke Lake water reserves at risk
Yes .. I remember years ago when they cleared the old mill sight in Victoria. They wanted to build on it but the assessment was that it couldn’t be used for 99 years! They promptly trucked it all up to Shawinigan Lk. and built the Selkirk project on it.