Summerland mayor confused, irritated by turmoil created by province over gravel pit

District of Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes said he’s confused and irritated the provincial government put so many residents, business owners and community groups in Summerland through so much turmoil over a controversial plan to open a gravel pit so many people opposed.

Holmes said he wasn’t surprised a provincial court judge ruled last week that the Ministry of Mines acted unreasonably in its decision to issue a permit in the fall of 2024 to operate the Garnet Valley gravel pit operation.

Opposition to the gravel pit was overwhelming from Day 1 with District of Summerland council, the Summerland Chamber of Commerce, Penticton Indian Band, numerous citizen groups and the vast majority of Summerland residents all speaking out against the proposal.

Agriculture advocates challenged the permit approval during a three-day judicial review earlier in February. The decision, announced last Thursday, declared the Ministry of Mines acted unreasonably in its decision to issue the permit.

Holmes said this project should never have been approved in the first place and he’s thankful veteran judge Greg Koturbash ruled in favour of the complainants in the civil action.

The project was approved in the fall of 2024 after an inspector with the Ministry of Mines granted a permit.

Resistance to the project was quick and overwhelming ever since.

“The decision wasn’t unexpected, I don’t think,” said Holmes.

“It’s just unfortunate that it went to court to begin with. I have no clue what the government will do in terms of next steps, but we will be writing to the Minister to see what happens next.”

What’s most frustrating is all of the reasoning announced in Judge Greg Koturbash’s decision echoed the concerns of council, the business community and residents dating back over several years, said Holmes.

“All of these concerns had been raised already to the government,” he said. “I still don’t understand why this had to go all the way to court. The whole community was saying the same things the judge pointed out. I still can’t understand why they (Ministry) wouldn’t listen to the community.

“Nothing pointed out in the judgement hadn’t been said already to the government. It wasn’t half the community saying one thing and the other half saying something else. It was everybody and we were all opposed.”

There are two operating gravel pits in Summerland and several others within a short distance and there was simply no need for another one in an environmentally-sensitive area popular with hikers and dozens of breeds of animals, said Holmes.

“All you can do is shake your head,” he said.

When asked if he believes the government might appeal the decision, Holmes said he “has no idea. I don’t have any read on that. I hope it’s not appealed. We’ll see.”

— This story was originally published by the Penticton Herald