The Conservative government of Stephen Harper has made good on a promise to overturn the Liberal government's proposed sale of Ridley Island. It had been widely anticipated that the Terminal would be sold to Ontario interests for 20 million dollars, giving the Ontario mineral company Fortune Minerals, a lock on a strategic port of the Northwest. As the election date grew closer, it appeared that Fortune had become the governments favored bid for the operation.
In the latter stages of the campaign, the future of Ridley Island became one of the local issues in the election. There were fears that had the terminal been sold off to an Ontario mineral company that smaller players in the suddenly hot coal industry would be left without a port in which to ship their goods.
With the decision released today, the Conservatives decided to keep the Terminal in its present state for now, as both the province and federal government consult on what will be best for BC's shipping community.
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