Cumulative Resource Development Plan for NEBC stressed by coalition

The coalition says their single mandate and purpose is to represent municipal interests in resource development issues.

Coalition Co-Chair, Mayor Dale Bumstead of Dawson Creek told the Select Standing Committee that over the past 10 years there has been a massive level of natural gas development in Northeast B.C.

He went on to say that the advent of four world class shale gas fields has seen the industry invest over $62 billion in the past decade, gas production increase by 70 per cent, and the province receive over $17.8 billion in land sales and royalties.

“We are now in an era where sale of our vast natural gas reserves has become packaged into the new concept of an LNG industry for B.C.,” Mayor Bumstead said. “This translates into a significant acceleration of the intensive level of activity that residents and businesses of north-eastern B.C. have been experiencing for the past decade. Add to this, Site C, new mining and forestry developments and continue expansion of our agriculture and other industries and the case is made.  It is absolutely necessary that resource infrastructure and other socio economic planning not be deferred.”

Coalition Executive Director, Colin Griffith added “Our coalition has already started this process.  We have hired economists and specialists to begin the first stage of planning; to develop a research based analysis of what the potential increases in workforce and population could mean to Northeast B.C. when natural gas (LNG), forestry, mining, and agriculture are all factored in.  Municipalities in northeast B.C. have been in the resource development business for over 60 years.”

The coalition was officially launched at a luncheon attended by 150 people on Sept 8, 2014.