The Columbia River Treaty Local Governments' Committee is hosting information sessions in seven communities – including Castlegar on Wednesday, June 6 – to prepare Columbia Basin residents to take part in the provincial consultations on the Columbia River Treaty (CRT).
The Province is beginning its consultation to review the 1964 Columbia River Treaty between Canada and the U.S. this spring, and has committed to consulting with affected people in B.C. to ensure their concerns are heard.
"The information session in Castlegar is hosted by local governments, with support from Columbia Basin Trust, and will include an open house starting at 3 p.m., a chance to discuss issues with experts from 5 to 6:30 p.m., and a free dinner so people can continue talking and sharing ideas before the consultation workshop with the Province starts at 7 p.m.," says Deb Kozak, CRT Local Governments' Committee Chair and Councillor, City of Nelson.
There will be an open house from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., discussion from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and a free dinner from 6:30 to 7 followed by the Provincial Consultation Workshop from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. It all takes place at Selkirk College's Castlegar Campus, 301 Frank Beinder Way.
The information sessions in Jaffray, Creston, Nakusp, Castlegar, Valemount, Golden and Revelstoke, will give residents a chance to get answers to questions they raised during 2011 information sessions and to prepare for the provincial consultation.
In addition to these community information sessions, there will also be online information sessions on Thursday, June 7 at 9 a.m. PDT, 10 a.m. MDT, and Monday, June 18 at 7 p.m. (PDT) and 8 p.m. (MDT). The online sessions are not part of the provincial consultation. Learn more at www.cbt.org/crt/infosession.
"It is important that residents be involved in the process and engage in positive and productive dialogue on the future of the CRT," says, Hans Cunningham, Director, Regional District of Central Kootenay, and member of the CRT Local Governmentsí Committee.