Summit Lake residents opposed to proposed location of petrochemical plant

“They raise some valid issues, but at the other side of the spectrum, of course, is a necessity to create jobs for the region. Our forest industry is going to be significantly less than what it has been in the past and there’s a number of people that will be looking for the employment opportunities that this plant will produce.”

While she’s not directly affiliated with the Facebook group, longtime resident Hilary Crowley, a former Green Party candidate, isn’t buying it.

“I would far rather see people thinking to the future rather than trying to keep on preserving the fossil fuel industry and the use of plastics, which we know causes so much harm to the animals and the fish. It all gets to the ocean eventually, like the Fraser will go to the Pacific and this (Summit Lake) is the start of the Arctic Watershed. We sure don’t want to contaminate both watersheds, it would be awful.”

She adds that the project would bring an increase in traffic, both via the nearby railway and the highway – which is already busy with logging trucks. However, The area’s MLA says it’s best to hear the project out.

“Let’s go through the process, and let them (West Coast Olefins) go through the environmental assessment process. That will give the folks in Summit Lake an opportunity to air their concerns and have it evaluated by the environmental assessment process and see what the outcome is from there, but when I look at the fact that we can have at least 1,000 jobs, 1,000 people working in Prince George; COVID-19 aside, I think we’re going to see reduced employment opportunity unless we get this plant up and running.”

Living in what she calls a recreational community with roughly 20 residences being occupied year-round, Crowley feels there’s greater need elsewhere.

“Rejuvenate the forestry industry. Mackenzie is crying out for jobs there, and I mean they want to rejuvenate their forestry industry and make it so the trees don’t go out like they’re doing,” she says. “Summit Lake doesn’t require jobs, other communities do.”

The Facebook group states they’re not opposed to the project in its entirety, believing the project is required for economic development especially during tough economic times. However, they do not believe this should be at the cost of the lake and the many people who enjoy it

Summit Lake residents opposed to proposed location of petrochemical plant

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