Proposed work to repair a fish compensation channel at McNair Creek was supported by the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) on Sept. 14, but not before questions were raised about an agreement for access to water.
Elphinstone director Lorne Lewis said he could not support the provincial referral because an agreement between the SCRD and the McNair Creek hydroelectric generation facility owners had not been worked out. “It’s very important to me and very important to Hillside,” Lewis said, pointing out that the channel is within the Hillside OCP area.
SCRD staff said a draft agreement was signed with the former owner of the hydroelectric project 15 years ago; however, that agreement was never ratified. Andrew Allen, SCRD manager of planning and development, said the draft agreement was for access to water for fire protection and drinking water from McNair Creek for the surrounding area.
West Howe Sound director Ian Winn said the fish habitat channel is in “desperate need of reparation, so I would suggest that we be proactive to get that repaired.”
He said the water access is a separate issue and he prepared a separate motion to deal with that.
SCRD directors supported the provincial referral and then voted to have the staff initiate talks with BluEarth Renewables Inc., which purchased the hydroelectric facility in 2015, to secure access to water from McNair Creek.
