Barlow speaks against the Raven coal mine, September 2011.
The Council of Canadians Comox Valley chapter has been opposing the Raven coal mine for the past five years.
Yesterday, the company announced it had lost its joint venture partners in the controversial coal mine.
MyComoxValleyNow.com reports, “Compliance Energy Corporation has announced that Itochu Corporation of Japan has completed its withdrawal from the Comox Joint Venture as of June 12, and LG International Corporation of Korea (“LGi”) have also informed the Company of their planned withdrawal from the project, proposed for the Buckley Bay area.”
This news follows the announcement in March that Compliance had backed out of the B.C. environmental assessment process for the mine.
The company had proposed to mine more than 16 million tons of coal in Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. The chapter has stated, “[The broad ‘Raven Revolt’ coalition has] raised deep concerns about the mine’s effect on ground water and aquifers, about air quality, about its impact on the sustainable shellfish industry in Baynes Sound, and about the contribution of the mine’s product – coal – to global warming.”
In December 2010, the chapter presented its Community Action award to CoalWatch for its work against the mine. In July 2010, the chapter joined the peaceful direct action coalition to mobilize against the mine. In September 2011, Maude Barlow spoke to about 600 people at a public forum in Courtenay in opposition to this mine. In January 2012, the chapter joined a protest of 400 people in Buckley Bay against the mine. In November 2012, the Council of Canadians formally passed a resolution to oppose the Raven coal mine at our annual general meeting in Nanaimo. In May 2014, the chapter organized a rally that attracted more than 100 people to downtown Courtenay to protest the mine.
In their media release issued yesterday, Compliance stated, “After six years and an excess of $20 million expenditures, the Company’s efforts have been thwarted.” So while the indications are very good, today’s news article cautions, “Compliance Energy Corporation is evaluating its’ options of how to proceed with its’ freehold coal rights. Goat News spoke with company officials who declined to go on tape for a broadcast interview, however President Steve Ellis says the proposal is not dead, and new partners are being sought to move forward with the project.”
Comox Valley chapter activist and Board member Alice de Wolff says, “Compliance hasn’t said they’ve quit, so we need to stay on alert with CoalWatch, but this is indeed a moment to celebrate and honour all the ‘thwarters’.”
The Council of Canadians extends its congratulations to everyone who fought against this mine.
