30 Day Colliery Dam
discussion - update
Mayor Ruttan comments
on Snuneymuxw First Nation decision to withdraw from
process
As residents of
Nanaimo are now aware, the Snuneymuxw First Nation has announced its decision to
withdraw from the 30 Day Colliery Dam discussion. This decision is a
disappointing development; something that neither staff nor myself were
expecting.
Since Council’s
motion for a 30 day break was tabled July 8th, I, along with City
staff, have worked closely with the appointed facilitator, Katherine Gordon, to
provide the Snuneymuxw First Nation with information pertaining to the Colliery
Dams. The transfer of material – including reports and studies – is consistent
with past efforts to share information with the Snuneymuxw First Nation dating
back to November 2012.
While the City of
Nanaimo remains open to further consultation on the options before proceeding
with new dams, the studies and reports provided to the City over the last year
are very clear; the Upper and Lower Colliery Dams represent a significant risk
to public safety. Similarly, the Province of British Columbia has been equally
clear in telling the City that it must take action to mitigate this risk.
With risk comes
liability. Should the City take no immediate action, a failure of the Colliery
Dams will have a significant impact on the taxpayers of Nanaimo. The Snuneymuxw
First Nation have stated in a news release issued July 17 that they had received
legal advice claiming the City’s concerns surrounding liability are unfounded.
The City of Nanaimo disputes this suggestion – the liability associated with the
dams, combined with the identified risk to public safety, requires action be
taken.
As has been discussed
throughout the community, action may take several forms. Reports and studies
discussing the rehabilitation of existing dam structures have identified this
option as being the most expensive of the three options available, i.e.)
removal, replacement or rehabilitation. Similarly, a recently completed study
indicates that reducing the identified risk by simply lowering water levels is
cost prohibitive at $8 million dollars, per eight month rain
season.
It will now be a
Council decision as to how the City will proceed at this
point.
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