A site north of Tchesinkut Lake is due to become the camp for workers of the Coastal GasLink Pipeline project in 2020.
A spot along 7 Mile Rd. and about 3 kilometres north of Tchesinkut Lake will be the new camp location, a company spokeswoman informed Lakes District News in an email on Nov. 22.
The 7 Mile Rd. Multi-use Site “will be ready for occupancy in January of 2020 and will be in use until April 2021,” said Jacquelynn Benson, Senior Communications Specialist.
The camp is expected to house as many as 600 labourers building a pipeline that would transport natural gas from northeastern British Columbia to a facility in Kitimat.
The decision follows a consultation period that took into consideration the wishes of the community, after an initial bid in 2017 to locate the campsite on the west end of Tchesinkut Lake was shelved earlier this year amid strong opposition from the public.
Concerns over drainage and water pollution were among the main reasons that spot faced heavy criticism.
https://www.burnslakelakesdistrictnews.com/news/transcanada-abandons-plans-for-tchesinkut-lake-site/
In May and July 2018, Coastal GasLink hosted open house sessions in Burns Lake where public feedback was received.
In a letter sent to the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, the company explained that out of more than a dozen sites considered, a short list of five locations was presented at the July open house.
Three were located north of the west end of Tchesinkut Lake, and two were within the village of Burns Lake.
https://www.burnslakelakesdistrictnews.com/news/transcanada-consults-with-burns-lake-residents/
The Crown sites along 7 Mile Road were preferred by most attendees “and met the requirements of Coastal GasLink’s pipeline contractor”.
The site that made the final cut is legally called Southeast 1/4 of District Lot 2449, Range 5, Coast District.
The pipeline’s peak construction phase in this area will run from October 2020 – March 2021.
- with files from Flavio Nienow