To the Editor,
Re: No decision from council on incinerator, Dec. 5.
City council is a position where it can alter bylaws to disallow the import and burning of Metro Vancouver’s garbage. Instead, our mayor and council opted to do nothing until Vancouver is finished with its public consultation process. Yet, I’ve read that enacting a bylaw after the site has already been selected may pose some legal difficulty for the city.
During a recent council meeting there was a presentation regarding a new passenger ferry service; reference was made to the possible positive economic benefits of this plan. Perhaps we should consider the sight that ferry passengers will have when they see barges full of trash transiting to be dumped in Nanaimo. Is this what we want Nanaimo to be known for?
We all need to give consideration of the health, environmental and public-relations problems this project presents.
Council needs to act in a timely manner to enact the necessary changes in our bylaws to block the burning of Metro Vancouver’s garbage within Nanaimo. They also need to send a clear message to Vancouver that we do not want their garbage incinerator.
Gordon Scottvia e-mail