B.C. and U.S. posture over benefits on the Columbia River Treaty

VICTORIA – Governments on both sides of the Canada-United States border are preparing for what could become a decade of negotiations to rework the 50-year-old Columbia River Treaty.

The original treaty was designed to provide flood relief and hydro power benefits to British Columbia’s Kootenay area and Washington and Oregon states.

In the lead up to consultations in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, American organizers said Canadians are benefiting far more than anticipated and the treaty should be reworked to be more equal.

But B.C.’s Energy Minister Bill Bennett says the treaty has provided flood relief and economic benefits on both sides of the border. He announced a series of public consultations for next month in several Kootenay-area communities.

Bennett says it shouldn’t be a surprise that the U.S. would like to improve its position and they’re open to discussion on how that may happen.

Canada and the U.S. have until next September to formally declare they want to reopen the treaty, which gives each side 10 years notice.