I attended the RDFFG meetings on Nov 18, 2021 and have been following the West Coast Olefins project proposal in Pineview since June. Endless hours of research and meetings have since followed. One of the meetings that members from the Pineview community attended were with the staff from the RDFFG regarding process. Our members attended this meeting to ensure that we were well educated in the regional district’s processes and that we as community members understood where our responsibilities lied with in it.
I am was in utter dismay that the narrative of this extremely important decision put before the Agricultural Land Standing Committee was commandeered by its own members based on the lack of understanding of process. As an elected official, it is your duty to understand what your role entails. If you had read the documents provided in the agenda, the process once again was presented within those documents that you had access to at least one week prior.
Furthermore, listed under strategic alignment you will find Indigenous relations. Chief Dolleen Logan has taken a very strong stance against this project. Many of the directors failed to recognize this. This has resulted in a very powerful statement from the Chief, “this is going to put a dent in our building relationships within the city and the regional district because obviously they disregard Lheidli T’enneh stance on the West Coast Olefins.”
The negative effects far outweigh anything good that will come of this proposed project. This application is not supported by any policies. It is also not supported by any of the associations that the RDFFG sent out a request for input to. The decision does appear very black and white. Industry does not belong on agricultural land. Please step up and be accountable to your role as a member of the Agricultural Land Use Standing Committee.
Adrienne Cleave
Prince George
