Chilliwack Progress
Within months of leaving office, former Chilliwack MLA John Les has been hired as a professional opponent to Metro Vancouver’s waste-to-energy incinerator plans.
Les registered as a lobbyist for Belkorp Environmental Services last month, an appointment that extends until Aug. 1, 2014. The company owns Wastech Services, which operates the Cache Creek Landfill.
“I was approached by them. Obviously their objectives fall very much in line with what has historically been my position on waste management in the Lower Mainland,” said Les. “The objective is that there would be no waste incineration in the Lower Mainland. I think the residents of the Fraser Valley here share that objective.”
During his time as MLA, Les vehemently opposed the proposed WTE project, citing concerns about emissions from the incinerator damaging the sensitive Fraser Valley airshed.
As a lobbyist, he will continue to advocate for solutions other than incineration.
“There is a requirement to maximize recycling before other options such as incineration. Landfilling should be considered. And if we do a good job of recycling, then actually the very best fuels for incineration are taken out of the waste stream,” said Les.