The B.C. government will be hosting a workshop in Revelstoke on June 20 as part of a public consultation process regarding the future of the Columbia River Treaty.
The workshop is part of a process launched by the provincial government that will see it consult with Columbia River Basin residents and First Nations, the Ministry of Energy and Mines announced in a media release.
The Columbia River Treaty 2014 Review will conduct economic, environmental, social, financial, legal and hydrological analyses to see if the treaty between Canada and the United States should be continued, amended or terminated.
The Columbia River Treaty, signed in 1964, governs the management of the river by providing for flood control and optimizing power generation. Either country can terminate the treaty in 2024 but 10 years advance notice must be given.
The review process will include information sessions and workshops in Jaffray, Creston, Nakusp, Castlegar, Valemount, Golden and Revelstoke.
“We want to hear from people who live in the Columbia Basin,” stated Rich Coleman, the B.C. Minister of Energy and Mines. “Residents can help shape the future of the treaty by providing input in person at our spring and fall community meetings, through a website or by mail.”
The information sessions will include an open house, a chance to talk to experts and a free dinner.
A website has been set up with information about the treaty, the review process, and a public engagement section that includes a discussion forum.
Last November the Columbia Basin Trust hosted a series of information sessions throughout the basin.
