FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE City to take a coordinated approach to protecting community interests if Site C is approved [DATE] Fort St.

John Mayor Lori Ackerman announced today that the City of Fort St. John will take a coordinated and proactive approach to protecting the communitys interest if the proposed Site C Clean Energy Project is approved. She is inviting the community to help. Ackerman acknowledged that the decision to approve the dam rests with the Provincial and Federal governments, not with local municipalities. However, she said that, as the municipality that will be most impacted by the project, the City carries a special responsibility to take an active role in community information gathering and localized consultations. The City is neither supporting nor opposing the Site C project, said Ackerman. Our first priority is to protect the interests of our community. We plan to use all of our influence and jurisdiction to ensure the communitys interests are protected if the project moves forward. Ackerman said the City will formally present the communitys interests to BC Hydro this fall in the form of a position paper. The paper would include a statement of community interests and objectives to assist BC Hydro and the decision-makers to identify key areas of concern and potential benefits for the City. Our evaluation of the Site C project will be based on the high standards set out by the United Nations World Commission on Dams. It states that communities should be better off after the project than before it, said Ackerman. We will also be considering the needs of our neighbours in the region and others impacted by this decision. The City is inviting the community to help define and develop the interests and objectives. Ackerman said the City has undertaken extensive public consultation on matters of community direction in the past. Council is using the Vision 20/20 strategy, Official Community Plan and Citys Strategic Plan as context for identifying the communitys interests. In addition, she said the City plans to consult with the community over the next couple of months to ensure the interests and objectives Council identifies accurately represent the needs of the community as a whole. We recognize it may not be possible to incorporate all views and interests into the final position paper, but we are committed to focusing on what is best overall for the City of Fort St John in the short and long term. Ackerman explained that the City has created a background document called Lets Talk Site C and two videos. They provide information on the Citys approach and outline a number of suggested objectives that Council has identified so far.

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We are putting these draft interests and objectives forward as suggestions to get the dialogue going, said Ackerman. Were hoping community members will take some time to review the information and then get involved in the discussion. In addition to finding information on the Citys web site, Facebook and Twitter, community members can access relevant documents, view videos and participate in a community survey at www.placespeak.com under the topic Lets Talk Fort St John. The City is also planning to hold informal chats in the park where community members can discuss the issues face-to-face with the Mayor or City Council members. In September (date to be confirmed), Council plans to host a public meeting so community members will have another opportunity to discuss the issues and provide input on the Citys interests and objectives. See box for more details on how to access information and participate.

Where to access information & participate Citys website www.fortstjohn.ca Placespeak.com/LetsTalkFortStJohn Twitter @fortstjohn www.facebok.com/fortstjohn Chats in the Park with Mayor and Council anytime between 9 a.m. and 12 noon: July 31 in Kin Park August 2 in Matthews Park August 7 in Pickell Park August 9 in Duncan Cran August 14 in Concorde Park August 16 in Princess Crescent Park August 23 in Matthews Park

-30For more information, please contact: Lori Ackerman, Mayor lackerman@fortstjohn.ca 250.787.8150

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City of Fort St. John 2012 07 12 Draft Press Release

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