Candidates for the October 19 provincial election were asked 16 questions at the Powell River Chamber of Commerce all candidates forum, ranging on a variety of topics from important local issues to ones more provincial in scope.
At the October 7 forum, held in Evergreen Theatre at Powell River Recreation Complex and attended by about 300 people, candidates were asked about what they thought should be done with the Catalyst Paper Tis’kwat lands. A questioner from the floor said that Paper Excellence shut down the mill, then they bought $5 million worth of paper companies on the east coast.
“So, what are they going to do with the paper mill?” asked the questioner. “Are they going to leave it there until it falls into the ocean? Are we going to get them to clean it up? Do you guys see any vision for the future of industry there, or what do you think is going to happen with the mill lands?”
The first to respond was Conservative candidate Chris Moore.
“The deep-water stuff sounds really interesting,” said Moore. “At this particular point, that should be something brought to the forefront because it’s a critical piece of the economy of Powell River.”
Green Party candidate Chris Hergesheimer said to have a conversation about the mill, there needs to be honesty about the remediation work that needs to take place at that site, and who is going to pay for it.
“Should the taxpayers of Powell River be paying for that, or should these companies be paying for that?” asked Hergesheimer. “There is so much valuable work to be done in remediation, but it is expensive, and once that is done, we have this amazing site with all these assets.
“This could be a story of ingenuity and creativity and collaboration about what that looks like, and it could be recognized around the world. It could create millions and millions of dollars in the cleantech industry. It could be something so cutting edge. We don’t even know that it is yet, but let’s find out from people of this town what it could be.”
Hergesheimer said the lands should be cleaned up, not at the expense of local taxpayers.
Next to speak was New Democratic Party candidate Randene Neill.
“This is a massive opportunity for Powell River,” said Neill. “This could be an incredible opportunity and a brand-new tax base that brings a lot of positivity and unification together to decide what happens at Tis’kwat.
“I think it was last summer or the summer before that the government signed a memorandum of understanding with Tla’amin Nation, that they would have a say and decision-making in what happens to the old mill site that used to be the site of their historical summer home. The river run was the site of a lot of their sustenance as well. So, whatever happens there, creating a revival of the salmon run would be absolutely amazing.”
Neill said remediation of the site is incredibly expensive. She added that Paper Excellence is still paying its full tax bill, to the tune of $5 or $6 million, until a new owner is found.
“We have to work together and the possibilities are absolutely endless,” added Neill.
Independent candidate Greg Reid said the Powell River used to have the largest salmon run in the area, and that ended with the construction of the dam.
“We’ve seen the mill serve this community well, with jobs and the economy in years past, and it slowly died in front of our eyes and slipped into its condition right now. It’s something that we kind of live with.
“We are not really depending on it for anything. I just accept that it is there and the owners have control of it and discussions are being made about what it might be used for. I don’t see it’s going to be an issue that we get excited about in the near future. I’m glad it doesn’t stink anymore, though.”
In addition to the mill question, candidates answered questions about: drug dens and crime in the community; public transit along the entire Sunshine Coast; artificial intelligence legislation; crime and safety concerns for businesses; the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA); public access to wild spaces; health care and access at qathet General Hospital; WorkSafeBC’s financial surplus and small business support; acts of reconciliation; the provincial debt; food security and water access; minimum wage and sick days legislation; climate change and impacts; and police accountability in the wake of the death of Sunshine Coast resident Myles Gray after a police incident in August 2015.
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