Letter to the Editor

On November 18, I was appointed as Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions, as well as Minister Responsible for the Columbia Basin Trust, Columbia Power Corporation and Columbia River Treaty, in B.C.’s new provincial Cabinet.

The title is quite long, so it’s no wonder my predecessor in this role, Katrine Conroy, referred to herself as “Minister of All Things Columbia.”  Katrine retired in September after seven years as Minister responsible for the Treaty and, before that, as the opposition critic.  A resident of the Columbia Basin since childhood, she was a strong advocate for Basin interests.

It’s an honour for me to take on this role.  The Treaty has been a critical part of the Columbia Basin, both north and south of the Canada-U.S. border, since it was ratified in 1964.  It has, in some respects, been a great success, enhancing the generation of clean electricity and reducing the risk of damaging floods.  It has also brought about impacts over the past six decades to those living in the Basin and to the region’s vital ecosystems.

There’s widespread recognition that the 60-year-old agreement is in need of renewal, and I find myself coming to this role at a historic point in the Treaty’s history.

In July of this year, Canada, in collaboration with B.C. and Basin First Nations, reached an Agreement-in-Principle (AIP) with the United States that sets the stage for a modernized Treaty.

The AIP reflects the B.C. government’s engagement with Basin communities going back more than a decade and, as a result, incorporates a broader range of interests than were considered in the original agreement.  Environmental health, salmon restoration, Indigenous and Tribal cultural values, and Basin social and economic objectives now have a place, along with the continued need for hydropower generation and flood risk management.

Canadian and American negotiators are drafting amended Treaty text that reflects the new and updated provisions outlined in the AIP.  At the same time, as you’ll read in this newsletter, the Province of B.C. Columbia River Treaty team has been receiving feedback on the AIP which is informing Treaty drafting and next steps in the modernization process.

I’m proud to take on my new role and to work with my colleagues, Minister of State for Local Governments Brittny Anderson and Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Development Steve Morissette, as we move forward to achieve a Treaty that’s more in tune with the needs of the Basin, its residents and ecosystems.

Adrian Dix,

Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions, and

Minister Responsible for the Columbia Basin Trust, Columbia Power Corporation and Columbia River Treaty

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