Water is Life. The clean water we have today is essential for the future. We must stand by our fresh water resources and defend from destruction, pollution and carelessness.

Sign this petition to let the Environment Minister know how you feel about protecting Quesnel Lake. Send in your comments to the environment ministry by December 23rd!

Governments have got to hear from concerned citizens that our lakes and rivers are crucial for clean drinking water, recreation, fish habitat, not receiving environments for industry .

I live near Likely, BC, a tiny community dealing with the consequences of Mount Polley Mine's enormous tailings dam breach in 2014. Currently Mount Polley wish to build a pipeline for mine effluent into Quesnel Lake as a long-term solution to their wastewater. How have our governments come to allow corporate interests to trump environment, tourism, cultural value and best practices?

Protecting waterways means protecting sustainable, green jobs. We are told that local industry jobs are irreplaceable, but this is short-sighted. Protecting Quesnel Lake means standing up for residents of the watershed, Fraser River salmon, First Nations, local tourism and future generations.

Mount Polley wants to use Quesnel Lake as the receiving environment for their mine effluent without fully treating it, relying on Quesnel Lake to dilute it. Dilution is not a solution. Regulators must raise the bar for water quality and discharge. They must take a long-term view and demand closed systems and best practices from those who are taking resources from our land. Industry must take responsibility for their wastewater.

At the very least, Mount Polley Mine should fully and completely treat its effluent if it must use the creeks and lakes as a receiving environment for their waste. The technology exists. Anything short of this is not good enough for this precious body of fresh water.

Please submit comments with the subject line “Comments on technical assessment report” to: MtPolleyEnvironmental.Enquiries@gov.bc.ca.          Call Mary Polak, BC's Environment Minister: 250-387-1187 

For more information on this issue: Mount Polley Mine pursues long-term lake discharge - Williams Lake News​

Public invited to comment on Mount Polley long-term water plan​

Imperial Metals Mount Polley Mine website