If the fight against Woodfibre LNG in 麻豆社国产were a movie, after the town council voted last week to ask the provincial government to raise the environmental bar the company has to meet, the one-dimensional actors portraying the Gordon Gekko-like, heartless, red-faced, tie-wearing company executives would pack up their briefcases and head off in a helicopter. Cheering crowds carrying placards reading Get Out! Stay Out! would raise their fists in triumph on the shores below.
Cue whales and dolphins jumping from the crystal clear water of Howe Sound. Cut to a young child on a rowboat, all smiles, as his grandfather cries with joy.
Cutaway again to a generous benefactor shouting, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 care if it costs millions, we will build an eagle sanctuary on the former Woodfibre site!鈥�
Roll credits.
But this isn鈥檛 a movie.
The gesture of 麻豆社国产council telling the Environmental Assessment Office to require Woodfibre meet the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change targets for its operation within the District of 麻豆社国产to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and 100% by 2050 is just that 鈥� a gesture.
One they have every right to make, sure, but not anything that will mean the project doesn鈥檛 go ahead or will meet the new demands.
The feds, province and 麻豆社国产Nation council green lit the project years ago, imposing many environmental conditions that the company has since been working to meet.
And
This isn鈥檛 a project the District has a lot of control over and never was.
Instead, the council鈥檚 comments are likely to create a more toxic relationship with a company planning a project on 麻豆社国产property it owns, on land zoned for it, while following the rules imposed on it.
So, council鈥檚 message 鈥� or at least the message sent by the majority in the chamber who supported the motion 鈥� is akin to residents telling new neighbours who are building their house to code and District standards that they want a different type of house altogether.
Good luck living in harmony from there on in.
Moving goalposts outside our jurisdiction on a targeted corporate citizen is not a great way to build a bridge to a better future.
Yes, there is a climate emergency, but the question is will this statement actually turn down the dial on that, even a bit?
The District has been doing a good job getting its own environmental house in order, with its climate plan.
Council should focus on sticking to that.
This could have been an opportunity to build a bridge and reiterate the importance of Woodfibre meeting the conditions imposed by those with the power to do so.
Instead, the bridge is likely up in flames.
That isn鈥檛 going to lead to the picture-perfect ending some have envisioned.
听
听
