Dear Editor
The City of Burnaby used poor judgment by ignoring the fact that “in-stream work” in the Burnaby creeks should be conducted during a period of low water. This window for in-creek work is primarily between the start of August to about mid-September.
Burnaby city engineering should have known better and should not gloss over the damage caused on Stoney Creek. The city also conducted work in the Glenlyon Creek in October, again ignoring the window for in-stream work.
The damage has been done and could potentially wipe out salmon spawning areas for this year. The cutthroat trout and Nooksack dace: what has happened to these species and their habitat? The Nooksack dace is protected under the Federal Species at Risk Act. The city should seek the expertise of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to do an independent analysis of the damage.
Communication is lacking on the part of Burnaby with its stakeholders. Although the work in Stoney Creek to be done was known, the exact timing was not known. Burnaby must learn to communicate with stakeholders, such as streamkeepers, Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the provincial ministry. Work was done on a tributary of Eagle Creek in the summer of 2015, on Broadway just west of Camrose Drive, but again, no communication with the streamkeepers.
For Burnaby to preach its environmental good record for our wildlife, it should walk the talk.
Nick Kvenich, Burnaby
