Premier Gordon Campbell lacks a proven track record of environmental stewardship when managing British Columbia's hydro-electric power grid, according to a conservation group.
Campbell gave the keynote address yesterday at the Independent Power Producers Association of B.C. annual general meeting inside the Hyatt Regency on Burrard Street.
Outside the hotel members of The Wilderness Committee protested private power projects in the province.
"There's a way to do green power right," said Committee policy director Gwen Barlee. "You want to have it with strong environmental standards, regional planning, acceptable to local First Nations and local governments and we're calling on projects to be publicly owned for long-term security."
According to Barlee, B.C. Liberals set the table for private power companies in 2002 when a plan was introduced prohibiting B.C. Hydro from producing new sources of hydro electricity.
"It's a gold rush," she said. "That's why you're seeing over 800 creeks and rivers around the province being staked by private power companies."
About 50 private power projects are up and running and another 50 or 60 projects are coming online but the majority of staked locations don't have definite plans.
"This is par for the course for this government," Barlee said. "They think General Electric can do a better job managing our rivers than B.C. Hydro."
