BC

Seven communities within the Southern Interior are expected to join in Thursday's province-wide 'Defend Our Coast' protest.

Photo: Contributed

In all, more than 6,000 people have registered to attend 63 locations around the province.

According to event organizers, the protests are a day of action to show 'growing opposition to tar sands, pipelines and tankers,' and the risks they pose to our coast, rivers and livelihoods.

Participants will link arms to symbolize BC's unbroken wall of opposition.

"We absolutely cannot sit idly and doom the ecology of BC's coast. It is inevitable that the crude will erode the pipeline and that the tankers will spill causing irreparable destruction," says Gabe Cipes, Permaculturist and Biodynamist at Summerhill Pyramid Winery in Kelowna.

"Our economy can be boosted instead by the creation of renewable energy and proper resource management."

Participants will be calling on provincial politicians to make a firm commitment to ban tanker expansion on BC's coast, a move that would stop Enbridge and Kinder Morgan's pipeline plans.

Penticton organizer Candis Davis, says the the event gives locals an opportunity to demonstrate their opposition to tankers and pipeline expansion.

"Communities that are not immediately on the pipeline route are still impacted by these pipeline proposals," says Davis.

"This isn't a special interest issue in pockets across the province, this is an entirely provincial matter that impacts all British Columbians.

Southern Interior rallies will be held in Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton, Osoyoos, Merritt, Salmon Arm and Kamloops. 

Protests will be held in front of MLA's offices in the following locations:

• Kelowna Steve Thomson - 102-2121 Ethel Street
• Vernon Eric Foster - 3209 31 Avenue
• Penticton Bill Barisoff - 210-300 Riverside Drive
• Osoyoos John Slater - 8312-74 Avenue
• Merritt Harry Lali - 2099 Granite Avenue
• Salmon Arm George Abbott - 202A-371 Alexander Street NE
• Kamloops Terry Lake - 618 B Tranquille Road