To the Editor,
There seems to be a case of split personalities when it comes to sustainability and development in our local municipal governments.
On the one hand, the City of Port Alberni has reduced its operational GHG emissions by 20 per cent since 2007 and has proposes to get to 70 per cent by 2020. This is excellent progress, far better than any of the paper promises by senior government.
Local politicians were also praised recently for advocating to protect community watersheds from detrimental forest practices.
But here comes the other side of the coin: first, ostensibly to reduce community CO2 emissions, city councillors oddly agreed to put the Roger Creek road crossing and the waterfront industrial road priorities before expansion of bike and walking paths and the district energy project; second, ACRD directors and the Port Authority continue working full tilt to build a new $100 million highway and ring road that would allow hundreds more trucks a day to service the Port, blasting through two local watersheds, while the far more sustainable railway is ignored.
There seems to be a disconnect in past values and recent actions here.
Local politicians have great responsibility for building infrastructure and setting in motion policy that lasts decades, even generations.
I sincerely hope they take that into consideration with every decision they make.
Chris Alemany,
Port Alberni