While city council is asking the Prince Rupert Port Authority to extend the public comment period for the Pinnacle Renewable Energy pellet export terminal and hold off moving the terminal ahead until a waterfront plan is in place, Pinnacle Renewable Energy President and COO Leroy Reitsma is asking people in the community to wait until after Tuesday's open house before judging the project.
"The community meeting we have next week will go a long way to creating a better understanding of the length of the process to get to this point and how involved it has been in terms of getting input," he said, noting a working group that has included First Nations, community leaders and federal ministries has been helping to guide the project to this point.
"I think the perception is that this is a three week process and then it's done, but that is not the case at all. It's been a very thorough and vigorous process in terms of design...When people see the level of resources that have been put into the development, they will see it is not an expedited process. We have gone through all of the steps to get to this stage, and this step is part of getting as much input as possible on the project."
According to Reitsma, Tuesday's meeting will include experts on dust and noise control, as well as company representatives who are ready to take feedback and answer any questions the public may have. The feedback gathered at the meeting will also help to shape the project going forward.
"All of the input will be looked at by the working group to ensure it is all given adequate consideration and is being adequately addressed," said Reitsma.
"We are really committed to obtaining meaningful feedback. This isn't a step that we see as troublesome at all...We want to make sure our proposed project is done with as much community input as possible."
The meeting will take place at the Crest Hotel from seven to nine p.m. on May 29.