The Council of Canadians Victoria chapter participated in a blockade of the entrance to a South Island Aggregates site at Shawnigan Lake yesterday.
They don’t want the company dumping contaminated soil at the gravel pit there because that would put at risk the drinking water for 12,000 people. The company began moving the soil to the site three weeks ago.
Global News has reported “The site, a former rock quarry, [will] receive up to 100,000 tons of contaminated soil per year for fifty years.”
Yesterday, CHEK reported, “About 100 protesters blocked the entrance to SIA Aggregates, the company that’s been permitted [by the provincial government] to bring in contaminated soil into their site for treatment.”
They vowed to keep blockading the site until the company’s permit was rescinded.
The article continues, “It’s been a fight in that community for three years, with residents angry that their concerns about water contamination aren’t being listened to and protesters say they won’t be ignored any longer.”
Green Party leader Elizabeth May also participated in the protest.
A 2-minute news report of the blockade can be seen here.
The Victoria chapter has been very active in the campaign to stop the toxic soil from contaminating the watershed.
Shawnigan Lake is located about 48 kilometres north of Victoria in the Cowichan Valley Regional District.
Further reading
Victoria chapter seeks to protect Shawnigan Lake & Thetis Lake from toxic dumps (March 2014 blog)
Victoria chapter protests toxic soil being dumped by drinking water (May 2015 blog)
