Dear Editor:
I'd like to applaud the recent move to a "one project, one review" policy for environmental assessments. Having the federal and provincial governments carrying out environmental reviews that duplicate each other's assessment processes is costly, senseless and unnecessary.
Duplicate review processes have been known to take as long as a decade before approvals are granted. Not only is this a job-killer, one that seriously stunts economic growth, it also robs communities of the investment and prosperity they long to see.
A "one project, one review" approach balances important environmental values with other values. It meets all environmental requirements. And it does not diminish environmental protections or safeguards in any way.
Nothing is being lost by this overdue streamlining, but much is definitely being gained.
Donald Leung, Burnaby
