My heart sank when I opened an email containing the press release for the BC Hydro phase two call for bio energy last week.
I must admit, I had to read the press release a couple of times just to make sure the approval for Burns Lake’s Ditni Yoh Green Energy project was not hiding somewhere on the page.
After all, the project seemed like such a sure thing and I am sure that many others local residents may have thought the same thing.
It was not a case of if the approval for the project was to come ..... but when.
The Ditni Yoh project would have been a great economic boost to the local area for sure.
Not only in terms of jobs, but an opportunity for a new industry to open up would have provided the area with economic diversity.
Now the project, in its various forms, has been rejected by BC Hydro two times.
As the saying goes .... perhaps the third time is a charm?
After all, the project proponents did say they are not ready to just give up on the project ... just yet anyway.
It is possible to project will be resurrected if an appropriate opportunity presents itself.
It is a blow to the local First Nations groups and Western BioEnergy Inc. who worked so hard to move the submission forward this time around.
When it was short listed in the process, excitement seemed to grow as project approval seemed like even more of a sure thing.
From talking to Harvie Campbell, Western BioEnergy Inc. director last week, I have a feeling that the news of Ditni Yoh’s failure definitely dampened the joy of the success for the other two of Western BioEnergy’s projects that were approved in the phase two call.
Still celebrations are in order for Western BioEnergy Inc.
Approval for two out of three submissions is quite achievement ..... especially when there are only a total of four projects finally chosen.
Congratulations are also in order for the communities of Fraser Lake, Fort St. James, Merritt and Chetwynd, who are all no doubt celebrating as the successful communities in the phase two call.
The news however is not so rosy for Burns Lake.
The promise more high paying full time jobs and another outlet for the mountain pine beetle killed fibre that is in abundance in the local area, was definitely something to look forward to.
Economic prosperity is never a bad thing.
Burns Lake Band Chief Albert Gerow is understandably, more than a little disappointed.
As he said, it is hard to accept when they felt they had crossed every ‘t’ and dotted every ‘i’ - however, when it comes down to making the final decision, BC Hydro made the decision - not with their hearts, but with their heads.
As Campbell explained Ditni Yoh missed out because the other projects were less costly in terms of fibre supply.
In the end, that’s what it came down to .... and you can’t argue with that, can you?