Special Alert: BC government approves Jumbo Resort despite massive opposition!

Fight not over as next step requires Regional District approval

Gordon Campbell’s BC Liberal government has just approved the Environmental Assessment for the highly controversial Jumbo Glacier Resort. The resort is to be located in the backcountry adjacent to the Purcell Wilderness Conservancy in the south east corner of British Columbia. The decision has outraged conservationists and local community members, The resort will destroy the region’s potential to support grizzly bears, and will fragment a vital north-south wildlife movement corridor of international significance.

In a complete disregard for public input, the decision comes despite overwhelming opposition from local communities such as Invermere and Nelson, and from tens of thousands of people across BC, Canada and around the world.

You can send a letter to Gordon Campbell expressing your outrage by visiting www.wildcanada.net/jumbowild/faxengine.asp

During the public comment period of the Environmental Assessment, 90% of respondents said they were opposed to the planned mega-resort. 24,000 letters have been sent from the Wildcanada.net/Jumbo Creek Conservation Society Action Centre, and at least 500 people directly phoned the Office of the Premier in the last month opposing the resort. Thousands of comments of concern have been heard by this government, but completely disregarded.

The decision to approve the resort’s Environmental Assessment is a slap in the face to the vast majority of British Columbians who opposed the plan, and who favored protecting the wilderness on which BC’s growing tourism economy is based. It is clear that the Campbell Liberals are more interested in pandering to special interests and developers than their own constituents.

"I am appalled by this decision," declared Meredith Hamstead, Communications Director for the Jumbo Creek Conservation Society. "Contrary to Minister George Abbott's announcement this morning, the government has blatantly ignored our communities, and its own scientists. The people of this region will not stand by while the provincial government destroys the fabric of our communities and of BC's wilderness heritage."

The fight to keep Jumbo wild is far from over. Soon the local East Kootenay Regional District will be asked to rezone the area to make way for the mega-resort. Wildcanada.net and the Jumbo Creek Conservation Society will provide you with an opportunity to join the debate every step of the way.

Take action now to ensure Gordon Campbell knows there will be consequences of his decision to approve the Jumbo resort by sending him a sharply worded letter from www.wildcanada.net/jumbowild/faxengine.asp.

To help Wildcanada.net continue the fight to keep Jumbo wild, please visit www.wildcanada.net/donate. With your help, we can be in this for the long haul.

	Take Action by sending a letter to Gordon Campbell expressing your outrage Tell all your family and friends about this reckless decision by the BC Liberals Contribute to the campaign so we can continue the fight to keep Jumbo Wild!

	Second ever Special Alert Folks, you know we wouldn’t send you two alerts in one day unless it was important. Just as this morning’s grizzly bear alert was going out the door, we learned that a decision was to be made at 10am PST on Jumbo. We listed anxiously to the radio (online, of course) and at 10:30 heard the news. Jumbo was a go. We’re not taking the news lying down, and we hope you won’t either. Thanks for letting us send you two alerts in one day: this is the second time in our four years we’ve sent a special alert, and the first time every that we’ve sent two in one day. I hope you’ll agree that it’s with good reason.

All images copyright Wildcanada.net & the Jumbo Creek Conservation Society. Photographer Doug Pyper