UPDATE: Wildsight calls Jumbo decision 'public land grab'
By Nelson Daily Staff
Groups opposing the any form of development on Jumbo Glacier have come out swinging after Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Bill Bennett announced Tuesday that Cabinet has approved the incorporation of Jumbo as a mountain resort municipality.
“This is a public land grab. For 20 years, the people have said no to the Jumbo Resort, grizzly bear scientists have said no to the Jumbo Resort and the Ktunaxa Nation has said no to the Jumbo Resort,” said Robyn Duncan, Program Manager with Wildsight.
“In September, the Union of BC Municipalities said no. This decision changes the face in democracy in BC.”
In his announcement Bennett appointed a municipal council for a term ending Nov. 30, 2014, and an interim corporate officer has also been named and will serve until the first council meeting of the new municipality.
Appointed as Jumbo’s first mayor and councillors are Greg Deck, Nancy Hugunin and Steve Ostrander.
Phil Taylor will be the interim corporate officer, ensuring that the municipality is operational by its incorporation date of Feb. 19, 2013.
Duncan said the ability of the BC Government to create a municipality in a wilderness area came about after controversial changes to the Local Government Act in May 2012.
These changes allow for the designation of a Mountain Resort Municipality (MRM) in a wilderness area, with no permanent population and no infrastructure.
The BC government has said they will fund the salary of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the new municipality and the taxpayer will be responsible for road maintenance and avalanche control costs.
The Union of BC Municipalities responded with strong opposition in September 2012, stating they do not support an unelected body making land-use decisions.
“Land-use decisions should be made locally,” said Duncan.
“This process is an end-run around the local democratic process and it ignores the advice of the government’s own grizzly bear biologists, who have said that the Jumbo Glacier Resort would threaten the viability of grizzly bears in the Purcell Mountains.”
Minister Bill Bennett approves the incorporation of Jumbo as mountain resort municipality
A scheduled announcement by the B.C. Government came to reality as Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Bill Bennett announced Tuesday that Cabinet has approved the incorporation of Jumbo as a mountain resort municipality.
Jumbo Glacier Resort’s Master Development Agreement was approved in March 2012, following a 20-year review process and extensive consultation that informed and developed the Environmental Assessment Certificate, Resort Master Plan and Master Development Agreement.
In 2009, the Regional District of East Kootenay requested that the B.C. government incorporate Jumbo as a mountain resort municipality.
In May 2012, government amended the Local Government Act to clarify provincial authority to incorporate a mountain resort municipality whether or not there are residents in the area at the time of incorporation.
The year-round ski resort will be located at the foot of Jumbo Mountain and Jumbo Glacier, 55 km west of Invermere.
The $450-million resort is planned in three phases and will ultimately include 5,500 bed-units in a 104-hectare resort base area. It is projected to provide approximately 3,750 person years of construction employment and create 750 to 800 permanent full-time jobs.
Jumbo Glacier Resort could be one step closer to reality
CBC News is reporting on its website that the B.C. Government will make a major announcement on the Jumbo Glacier Resort, bringing the controversial plan closer to pouring a foundation on the ski towers.
The media outlet confirms Community Development Minister Bill Bennett is scheduled to announce formally the creation of a resort municipality for the site.
At the same time Bennett, the MLA for Kootenay East and Community Development Minister since September 5 of this year, would name several people to form the first municipal council to oversee the area.
Jumbo has been on the books for more than 20 years to create a Whistler-style ski resort and village with hotels, about 55 kilometres from the town of Invermere.
The original concept was first endorsed by former NDP premier Mike Harcourt in the early 1990s.
The resort location is in the Purcell Mountains on the site of an old sawmill. The completed ski resort will feature up to 23 lifts, a 3,000 metre-high gondola and spectacular world-class views.
The Liberal government began the process to allow Glacier Resorts Ltd. to mover forward with a decision in March of this year to approve the Jumbo Glacier Resort Master Development.
However, since the spring announcement several local groups, including Wildside, the Sinixt Nation, Chair of the Kootenay Mountaineering Club, Ktunaxa First Nation and West Kootenay Coalition for Jumbo Wild have lobbied hard to stop the project.
View the Jumbo Glacier Resort Master Plan: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/resort_development/resort_plans/approved/Jumbo.htm
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