Hope residents launch petition to stop gravel pit expansion

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HOPE — Hundreds of residents have signed on to a plea that would stop Cemetery Gravel Pit from growing, citing environmental risks, district tourism efforts and health concerns to people living nearby.

In 2023, Hope Ready Mix submitted an application to expand the pit off Kettle Valley and Othello Road to roughly 33 hectares—more than three times its current size. The work would be carried out over the next 50 years, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays.

Site extraction is estimated at roughly 215,000 tons per year, which would generate upwards of $3 million annually.

The petition summary outlines that carrying out that work would involve “one gravel truck every five minutes[…] passing within a few metres of many Hope residents’ homes”, generating dusty and disruptive traffic along Kawkawa Lake Road.

If the project goes through, the petition says the company can build an alternative route near Highway 5 to avoid residential roads, though that was not outlined in the submitted application.

Protecting the greenery

A section of the proposed mining site was formerly designated a Critical Habitat for spotted owls and a Conservation Area for mountain beavers, but the report’s environmental assessment shows that the land is now suitable for mining as it has been clear-cut within the last ten years.

“Tourism is the number 1 industry in Hope, and it focuses on the natural beauty we have here,” summed the petition. “When approaching Hope from Highway 1 coming from the west, the first sign of Hope is the gravel pit. The permit application more than triples the size of the pit and it would look even worse than it does now.”

Public engagement regarding the application is still underway. The Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals’ statement to Fraser Valley Today reads: “All feedback received during the comment period for Notices of Work will be reviewed and considered by the permitting team as part of the adjudication process. The Ministry appreciates public participation and looks forward to reviewing all comments.”
The petition has 551 out of 600 signatures as of writing.