Marvin Hunt, chair of Metro Vancouver's Waste Management Committee, will be speaking at a conference organized by incineration industry insiders in Yorkville, Ontario later this month. The pamphlet distributed to promote the event says Mr. Hunt will be speaking about how Metro Vancouver decided to build 6 new incinerators and how they dealt with public opinion.

When asked about Metro Vancouver's position on these proposals, Hunt told Vancouver area media, “Our purpose here is not to advocate, but to give out the information we were ordered to find…we’re not here to promote anything.”

Meanwhile, in the pamphlet promoting a speaking engagement in Ontario, under Marvin Hunt’s presentation it clearly says "Metro Vancouver is planning to build six new waste-to-energy plants to deal with the problem of excess garbage and not enough landfill space. (Dowload the Flyer here)
• How did Metro Vancouver incorporate public input on the proposed facilities?
• What factors did Vancouver deem critical before planning these waste-to-energy facilities?
• How did it deal with negative public perception around waste-to-energy facilities?
• What steps did Metro Vancouver take with respect to the approval process of EFW facilities
• What are the challenges Metro continues to encounter with respect to EFW facilities?”

"Mr. Hunt is disrespecting our intelligence with this blatant manipulation. To the people of Vancouver, he contends that he has no pro-incineration bias, and that the process will consider all public opinion on whether to allow the burning of garbage in Metro Vancouver. On the other hand, he is going to Ontario, to advise other jurisdictions how to handle the negative PR that surrounds these types of facilities as if Vancouver was a done deal," said West.

Last week, media announced that Metro Vancouver's so-called ‘independent expert consultants’ were actually industry insiders, and that one, Jim Bridges, has been a tobacco lobbyist who once testified before the U.S. Congress that second hand smoke is not harmful.

Residents of the Fraser Valley have been amongst the most outspoken in regards to their health and air quality concerns related to waste incineration.   "This is just the latest in a series of disappointments and frustrations with their consultation processs," said Patricia Ross Chairperson of the Fraser Valley Regional District. " When people point out some apparent bias, we've always been told they haven't yet made the decision which option to choose and that their participation in public meetings could make a difference. Yet clearly, it doesn't appear to be the case. The negative impact will be significant if this goes forward. The residents of our regions deserve better" said Ross.
 
Metro Vancouver has declared this week to be Waste Management Week to continue the discussion of waste issues.
 

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