Citizens Concerned about Coalbed Methane - Vancouver Island formed in June 2007.  In preceding weeks, representatives of Hillsborough Resources and Cornerstone Gas had been calling and meeting with a number of public interest groups to talk about their proposed plans to begin exploring for coalbed methane near the Campbell River airport.

But in meetings with them, the information made available and the answers to questions appeared at times vague and unspecific, at other times secretive. People went home and asked the internet search engine Google about coalbed methane. What emerged was unsettling. 

So the groups got in touch with each other, had a couple of meetings, compared notes, invited a couple of guests who knew a bit more about coalbed methane and its context in the province.

Out of this sprung a decision that an issue as important as this couldn't be confronted individually. A coalition, of groups and individuals, was needed.

Connecting with the Citizens Concerned about Coalbed Methane (CCCBM) in Fernie and in the Bulkley Valley, the new coalition recognized the need to ally with other communities where coalbed methane had reared its head, and we are now the Citizens Concerned about Coalbed Methane - Vancouver Island (CCCBM-VI)

The Hillsborough/Cornerstone project is in Campbell River, so most of the founding groups and individuals are from that area. Coal extends from Campbell River to south of Nanaimo. As coalbed methane proposals emerge elsewhere on Vancouver Island, CCCBM-VI will already be there, ready to represent community interests.

The alliance of companies and the provincial government makes for a well-funded force in favour of development. Communities don't have these resources. CCCBM-VI was created to help balance the discussion.