Proposed B.C. ski resort faces criticism over threat to endangered spotted owl habitat
A controversial proposed ski resort near Chilliwack, B.C., is causing a stir among environmental advocates who are concerned about its potential impact on the critically endangered northern spotted owl. The Bridal Veil Mountain Resort (BVMR) project is currently in the public comment period, set to close on Feb. 28. However, critics, including the Wilderness Committee, argue that the province has failed to adequately inform the public about the development’s implications for the protected habitat of the northern spotted owl.
The resort’s plan includes an eco-friendly gondola that would offer visitors stunning views of the Fraser Valley and Cascade Mountain Range. However, the proposed gondola routes would pass through Elk Creek, a designated wildlife habitat area that spans over 2,500 hectares of protected land established in 2011 to conserve the spotted owl population. Joe Foy, the Wilderness Committee’s protected areas campaigner, expressed his opposition to the project, highlighting the potential threat to the already dwindling species.
The northern spotted owl, once numbering around 500 breeding pairs in B.C., has been driven to the brink of extinction due to decades of industrial logging. The species now faces the risk of disappearing entirely from Canada, with only one wild-born owl known to exist in the province. Efforts to reintroduce captive-bred owls into the wild have been unsuccessful, with all six released owls since 2022 succumbing to various causes, including injury, predation, disease, and starvation.
In addition to the BVMR project, another proposed gondola project, the Cascade Skyline Gondola Project, led by the Cheam First Nation, is also under consideration in the Bridal Falls area near Chilliwack. Unlike the BVMR, the Cascade Skyline Gondola Project has been designed to avoid overlapping with the spotted owl’s protected habitat, emphasizing minimal environmental impact.
In response to the criticism, the BVMR team stated that they are still in the early stages of review and welcome feedback, including concerns related to wildlife habitats like the northern spotted owl. The team emphasized the importance of conducting detailed wildlife habitat assessments, species at risk surveys, and environmental impact evaluations before determining the project’s viability.
The B.C. government has assured that wildlife impacts will be thoroughly analyzed as part of the review process, acknowledging the potential consequences on wildlife habitat conservation. The province emphasized that no approval is guaranteed, and a final decision on the BVMR proposal will only be made after comprehensive scientific data and environmental assessments are completed.
As the public consultation period comes to a close, the fate of the proposed ski resort near Chilliwack remains uncertain, with environmental advocates, resort proponents, and government officials all weighing in on the potential risks and benefits of the development. The future of the northern spotted owl and its protected habitat hangs in the balance, as stakeholders navigate the complex intersection of conservation, recreation, and economic development in the region.
