At the May and June 2012 public consultations in seven Columbia Basin communities, the Columbia River Treaty Review team asked Basin residents how they wanted to be consulted in the future. A majority of Basin residents told the Treaty Review team that they would like further community sessions, a large number were interested in having an in-depth conference, and some residents thought the Province should get input from a group of knowledgeable and committed Basin residents.

The Treaty Review team listened and has now established a Sounding Board group. The 30 members of the Sounding Board form a geographically balanced representation of Columbia Basin residents with knowledge and/or experience with dam/reservoir planning and operations and are able to provide a broad perspective and contribute positively to discussions on Treaty-related matters. Members are recognized in their communities as knowledgeable in one or more key areas of interest identified by Basin residents during the Columbia River Treaty Review process. As part of an objective to engage a younger demographic in the future of the Treaty, the Sounding Board also includes youth representatives.

The purpose of the Sounding Board is:

• To review Columbia River Treaty reports and other information, and provide feedback, opinions and suggestions for improvement.
• To provide input on key Treaty Review questions, in particular regarding Basin interests (e.g. environment, socio-economic, domestic).
• To help inform recommendations to government on the future of the Treaty.

Members of the Sounding Board were selected by the Columbia River Treaty Review team from suggestions provided by the Columbia River Treaty Local Governments Committee, First Nations, Columbia Basin Trust, and the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas, and other sources.

After an initial introductory teleconference in April, the first face-to-face meeting of the Sounding Board is expected to be held in late May or early June 2013. The Sounding Board terms of reference and list of members can be found at: http://blog.gov.bc.ca/columbiarivertreaty/sounding-board/.