Rick Glumac and Sharon Shewmake: Co-operation key to rebuilding stronger across Pacific Northwest

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British Columbians share more with our neighbors in Washington state than just a border.

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We share personal and family ties that go back generations. We share a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. We share a deep connection with the unique beauty of this corner of the planet we call home — and a determination to protect it for our children and grandchildren.

We have many advantages here in the great Pacific Northwest — from abundant natural resources and clean energy to economic bonds that benefit us all.

But we have also faced our share of challenges.

The greatest of these is climate change. The threat is no longer decades or even years away. The climate crisis is here. We have seen the impacts all around us — from devastating wildfires and intense heat waves to droughts and record flooding across our region.

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The scale of this emergency demands that we act with greater urgency. And because climate change doesn’t respect borders, we must work together with our neighbors to mitigate the effects of extreme weather, reduce climate pollution and build a cleaner future for everyone.

November’s catastrophic flooding in Abbotsford led to the evacuation of 14,000 people and billions-of-dollars in damage. At the same time, an estimated 500 people were displaced by flooding in Whatcom County, Wash.

These events can be seen as two separate events by those tasked locally with rebuilding and recovery, but they’re in fact the same event. When the Nooksack River floods in Whatcom County, the water doesn’t stop at the border and our solutions mustn’t stop at borders either.

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A few days ago, Premier John Horgan and Gov. Jay Inslee launched a new initiative to address flooding along the Nooksack. Washington state and BC will co-ordinate our efforts and bring together the necessary resources to ensure we are better prepared for the inevitable impacts of the next extreme weather system.

This will build upon local efforts on both sides of the border and seek to protect public infrastructure, ecosystems, and communities up and downriver — particularly those disproportionately affected by flooding.

This cross-border collaboration builds upon the many other co-ordinated efforts in recent years to advance our shared priorities.

This includes the Clean Grid Initiative, which Horgan and Inslee launched to power more homes and businesses with our region’s abundant clean electricity.

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We have also invested in studying the potential of an ultra-high-speed corridor service linking BC, Washington state and Oregon, and the Washington state legislature has recently approved a further US$150 million toward the construction efforts. Horgan and Inslee have also signed deals to enhance our strong trading relationship and protect our endangered, iconic, southern resident killer whales.

A wide-reaching memorandum of understanding between BC and Washington state also promises to advance the innovation economy, transportation connectivity, and work with partners to restore and sustain salmon populations in the region.

And we took another important step toward protecting our shared natural heritage by securing a deal that will see Imperial Metals hand over mineral rights in the Skagit River Donut Hole watershed. This will help protect a crucial corridor for wild salmon that Indigenous Peoples and communities on both sides of the border depend on.

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This kind of co-operation is key to rebuilding stronger and making life better for people across the Pacific Northwest.

The last two difficult years have taught us many lessons. But one stands out as most important—our ability to overcome anything that gets thrown our way when we look out for our each other and work together.

As we safely ease COVID-19 restrictions and rebuild after last year’s devastating extreme weather, we must apply this lesson to building a stronger and more resilient future across our region — one where we protect the environment, and no one gets left behind.

Rick Glumac is the BC MLA for Port Moody-Coquitlam and is Premier John Horgan’s liaison for Washington state. Sharon Shewmake is a Washington state representative of the 42nd Legislative District.

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