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Provincial candidates in the Shuswap district have been talking about landslides and not the political kind.
During Tuesday night's debate, candidates were questioned about clear cut logging and whether it should be banned above residential developments.
Tolko Industries is proposing to log above the Swansea Point area east of Sicamous, which has seen landslides in the past destroy homes and properties. As well, a section of Highway 97a washed out in 2012.
Liberal candidate Greg Kyllo said there wouldn’t be any logging without a full watershed study.
“Our government spent over $3 million to replace the culvert on Hummingbird Creek with a bridge and bank stabilization to address the rapid flow concerns.”
But the NDP’s Sylvia Lindgren wasn't so sure, calling for regulations requiring companies to set aside money for compensation in case something happens.
Lindgren also called for a moratorium on clear cutting on steep slopes near residential areas.
“We need to be using the best scientific methods possible to determine if it’s safe,” she said.
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District board appears to agree.
At a recent meeting, directors recommended to Tolko and the Ministry of Forests that a moratorium be placed on future logging activity in the Hummingbird Creek and Mara Creek basin due to the history of large debris flows in the area.
It also called on Tolko Industries to hold public engagement meetings to provide information and answer questions regarding forest stewardship plan amendments.
During Tuesday's debate, the Green Party's Kevin Babcock said: “I work in a plywood plant and these companies always put safety first, so it should be the same when it comes to logging practises.”
Libertarian Kyle McCormack was applauded when he insisted that “if a corporation destroys your home you should have recourse to go after them.”
A statement from Tolko indicated planning of any new road building or logging activity could take a year or more and will only move ahead in a safe and sustainable manner.
