Halalt First Nation - Review and Critique of a Large Hydrogeological Study

GW Solutions has completed a review and critique of a large hydrogeological study on behalf of the Halalt First Nation for a proposed series of production wells (water supply for the District of North Cowichan) as part of a provincial and federal environmental assessment process, Chemainus River Aquifer, Halalt First Nation, BC.

The proposed project was also reviewed under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act as a comprehensive study.

In July 2011, the Environmental Assessment Certificate (EAC) and associated groundwater extraction were stayed under a B.C. Supreme Court ruling. The B.C. Court of Appeal subsequently overturned the lower court’s decision in November 2012.

Halalt filed a request of appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada; unfortunately, this was not granted.

In 2015 the Municipality of North Cowichan applied for a permit to operate the wells in the summer (their present EAC only allows groundwater extraction from October 15 to June 15). GW Solutions is working with Halalt FN in reviewing this new application.

The history of this project and the various documents issued by GW Solutions are available on the BC Environmental Assessment website for the Chemainus Wells Water Supply Project.