When our daughter and her partner moved to Squamish some five years ago, we had our first visit to the area. They took us to a wonderful little secret “golf course in the woods” up an FSR. It was a typical West Coast drizzly day. With water dripping off the green moss, the moment was magical.
Last week, we returned to the area with our five-year-old grandchild, hoping to show her this special place in the woods. To our dismay, we found a swath of knocked-down trees and scraped forest floor, courtesy of FortisBC and their plan to link up with the Woodfibre LNG facility. (The notices said it was FortisBC work.)
Now, I know this development is bringing jobs (mostly short-term) and handing out “gifts” to community groups in the Squamish area, but at what cost? It’s not just the loss of a secret golf course.
We know that LNG is methane, a super pollutant.
Recent peer-reviewed work shows that LNG exports are as bad as coal for the environment. As CAPE (Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment) has stated: “Fracked methane gas is not a transition fuel. It causes harm to human health and the environment and is a major driver of global warming.”
These fossil fuel companies have recently taken down many of their “greenwashing” ads because LNG will not help solve the climate emergency. Does Squamish want to be the site of the next carbon bomb?
With an upcoming provincial election, I urge community leaders and residents to critically examine this development’s long-term consequences. Let’s prioritize sustainable growth that preserves Squamish’s natural treasures for future generations, rather than sacrificing them for short-term gains.
Gary Bota
Sudbury, Ontario
