FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VANCOUVER (Unceded Territories of the Səl̓ílwətaʔ, xʷməθkwəy̓əm, and Skwxwú7mesh Nations) – Outside of CBC’s Vancouver studio last night B.C. party leaders attending the televised leaders’ debate were confronted by peaceful protestors regarding the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission line (PRGT) which is set to be built through several communities which have not given consent.
The PRGT pipeline would carry gas from fracking wells in Northeastern B.C to the west coast to feed the controversial proposed Ksi Lisims LNG export facility. The pipeline has sparked opposition along the route since its construction began in August.
Naxginkw/Tara Marsden, Wilp Sustainability Director for the Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs said:
“The Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline poses a grave threat, not only to our lands and waters, but also to British Columbia’s commitment to combat climate change. At the UBCIC’s recent Assembly, Chiefs from across the province passed a resolution condemning the PRGT pipeline and demanding the immediate termination of its outdated Environmental Assessment Certificate. Our next government must recognize that the fight against LNG development is inseparable from the preservation of our ecosystems and the protection of Indigenous rights. It is imperative that BC prioritize the voices of Indigenous peoples in this critical conversation to ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.”
Paige Gorsak, Organizing Manager at Dogwood, said:
“Whoever wins the election will face an immediate decision on the fate of the PRGT pipeline, and it’s unacceptable that some leaders continue to dodge questions about a decision with such significant consequences for Indigenous rights, for the climate and for B.C.’s mighty salmon rivers. We stand in solidarity with communities defending their land, water and rights in the face of relentless oil and gas expansion – and we pledge that our resistance will be equally relentless.”
Sven Biggs, Canadian Oil and Gas Program Director with Stand.earth, said:
“Fracking is B.C.’s biggest climate problem and if the fossil fuel lobby gets their way it will get a whole lot worse. Proposed new pipelines and LNG export terminals would require thousands of new fracking wells to be drilled in the Peace River Region to supply them. This will lead to the poisoning of billions of liters of freshwater, clearing more farmland and wilderness for drilling sites and pipelines, and a massive spike in climate pollution as scientists tell us we must be making reductions. So we are here tonight to ask all the party leaders: whose side are they on, the big oil and gas companies or British Columbians?”
Isabel Siu-Zmuidzinas, climate campaigner with the Wilderness Committee, said:
“The upcoming election will determine who decides the future of the PRGT pipeline and fossil fuel expansion in the province. The fracking and LNG industry not only jeopardizes our families and communities but also costs us billions in subsidies and tax breaks, while exacerbating climate disasters. Additionally, studies show the severe health impacts for communities living near fracking wells in Northeastern B.C. We support communities defending their land and rights, and demand to know whether leaders will prioritize these rights, as well as public health and safety, over the interests of oil and gas companies.”
Pollution from B.C.’s gas industry is poised to explode if all the new liquified natural gas (LNG) projects that the province is currently considering on the West Coast are approved, built, and supplied with fracked gas.
Frack Free BC and local rally organizers are calling on any new B.C. government to:
- Set a date to stop issuing fracking permits;
- Begin a phase out of existing wells and fracking infrastructure;
- Support local communities to transition to more sustainable industries.