Working towards social and ecological sustainability in Northwest British Columbia since 1996
This paper raises questions about the economic future of the Bulkley Valley using the proposed Telkwa Coal Project as the point of departure for its discussion into the economic prospects, choices and trade-offs that face all of the residents of the region as they opt for one set of economic opportunities over another, and one path of development over others.
Northwest British Columbia is a vast, sparsely populated region where rural communities and small cities co-exist with intact wilderness ecosystems. It is the home to numerous First Nations, none of whom have ceded their terrritories to the crown. Three major wild salmon rivers -- the Nass, Skeena and Stikine -- flow through the region to the Pacific Ocean. The region’s abundant natural resources have led to a series of large-scale industrial proposals over the decades, including salmon farms, pulp mills, mines, hydro projects and oil and gas pipelines.
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