An upcoming virtual town hall will give people from across the Columbia Basin and beyond a chance to touch base with Canadian negotiators, Indigenous Nations, local government representatives and others involved in current efforts to modernize the Columbia River Treaty.

The event will take place on Feb. 24, 2021, from 6 to 8 p.m. (Pacific time). It is open to anyone interested in the Columbia River Treaty.

During this virtual session, negotiators and others will provide the latest updates about the treaty, after which there will be opportunities to ask questions. Discussions will include the current Canada-U.S. negotiations, ongoing Indigenous Nations ecosystem studies, Local Governments’ Committee updated recommendations and work underway domestically to address interests related to the treaty.

Details about the town hall are posted to the Province’s Columbia River Treaty website. The session will be held by Zoom, with an option to phone in for those who are not able to connect online: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/columbiarivertreaty/2021-public-engagement/

Anyone interested in attending is encouraged to submit questions in advance before noon (Pacific time) on Feb. 22 to: columbiarivertreaty@gov.bc.ca

Questions will be read out loud during the meeting but will be kept anonymous.

Those who are new to the treaty, or are keen to learn more, can visit the Province’s Columbia River Treaty website. The website includes information on the treaty’s history, structure, impacts and benefits, and feedback from Columbia Basin residents gained through the Province’s public engagement efforts: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/columbiarivertreaty