Cowichan-Malahat-Langford MP Jeff Kibble is calling on the federal government to clean up an illegal dump site near the Cowichan River, citing concerns that contamination may be reaching the waterway.
Kibble raised the issue in the House of Commons on Oct. 9, saying reports suggest contamination from the site may now be present in the river itself.
The site is on Cowichan Tribes land but falls outside the nation’s land code, Kibble said. He argued that makes cleanup a clear federal responsibility.
“In April, I wrote to the Minister of Indigenous Services, but despite years of warning, meaningful federal enforcement and remediation of this water travesty have not materialized,” Kibble said.
Kibble said Cowichan Tribes has been seeking action for several years.
“A river this important should not have to wait for proof of harm before the government takes action,” he said.
Kibble said his priority is to have the site and any contaminants cleaned up, rather than assign blame for how the dump came to be.
“I am here to have the illegal garbage dump and the contaminants that are impacting the river and the groundwater remediated and cleaned up, and to compel the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations to take action,” he said.
RELATED: Investigation underway into illegal dump site in Cowichan Valley : My Cowichan Valley Now
