Williams Lake City Council will be sending a Delegation to Victoria to fight to save Atlantic Power.
Mayor and Council have canceled this coming Tuesday [Feb. 11] Committee of the Whole meeting, to send a delegation to Victoria to advocate in front of the Legislative Assembly for a new deal that could keep Atlantic Power from shutting its doors.
“The Council made a unanimous resolution yesterday [Thursday, Feb. 6], whoever can go be beside the mayor from Council should be allowed to go.” Mayor Surinderpal Rathor says.
Besides the mayor and councillors, the delegation will consist of a few council members, union leadership from the United Steelworkers Union, and First Nations leadership.
The mayor’s office sent a letter to Premier David Eby in January urging the premier and BC Hydro to broker a new deal that will keep Atlantic Power in business.
Since the mayor’s letter, the Cariboo Regional District and more advocates in the Forestry and Energy sectors penned letters to the Premier’s Office and Ministry of Energy and Climate Change in support of Williams Lake and keeping Atlantic Power operational.
Mayor Rathor hopes that a face-to-face address to the Premier and Assembly will be more effective than letters.
“Letters are one thing, phone call is another thing. Talking to somebody face-to-face is entirely different.” Rathor says. “Time is running out, and we have to have a decision made one way or the other.”
When asked if the Council is making plans should the worst happen, Mayor Rathor said he is “not thinking that way” remaining hopeful that a deal to keep the power plant will me made.
“We will cross that bridge when and if we are at that bridge. I’m not thinking that way right now. I’m very hopeful we can come out as winners.”
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