Fraser Canyon receives a ‘big boost’
Clean energy project and first-time access to cell phone coverage brings jobs, safety
2011-12-16
Boston Bar – In one of his last official duties as a member of the BC Legislature, Chilliwack-Hope MLA Barry Penner attended a celebration hosted by the Kanaka Bar Indian Band marking the start of construction on a significant, new clean energy project and visited one of five new cell phone towers being activated in the Fraser Canyon.
"This is the biggest economic boost the Fraser Canyon has had in several decades," said Penner, "and I was delighted to work with others to make it happen."
The $185 million Kwoiek Creek hydro-electric project is being developed in partnership between Innergex Renewable Energy, a Canadian company, and the Kanaka Bar Indian Band. Located on the west side of the Fraser Canyon, about 14 kilometers south of Lytton, it will be able to produce 50 megawatts of zero-emission, renewable electricity to BC Hydro under a long-term contract awarded in 2006 – enough to power approximately 20,000 homes. In 2009 while he was Minister of Environment, Penner signed an environmental assessment certificate approving the project, which also passed a federal environmental assessment. The project is expected to pay the B.C. government $670,000 per year in water rental fees and contribute another $600,000 per year in rural property taxes. It has been made possible by the BC Government's energy plan which includes a goal to become self-sufficient in electricity by 2016.
"This week, there are 51 people working on building this project, 31 of which I'm told are members of the Kanaka Bar Indian Band," says Penner. "More workers will be hired as the project progresses over the next couple of years."
More information is available at www.kwoiekcreekhydro.com.
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