April 12, 2001 For Immediate Release

The University of Northern British Columbia Library - funded by a grant from the Northern Development Commission - is collating and housing a central source of information about oil and gas exploration and development off the BC coast.

"This new online information repository provides opportunities for northern residents interested in the oil and gas moratorium to search for research on the topic or browse related web sites," says Northern Development Commissioner John Backhouse. "By making this information available on the web, residents can assess the opportunities, issues, and concerns related to offshore oil and gas development for themselves."

The Oil and Gas Repository is accessible from the main Library home page at lib.unbc.ca

A link in the bottom-left corner of the Library home page takes visitors to the repository, where they can currently search for more than 300 articles about offshore oil and gas development or browse more than 40 related web sites. The database is continuing to grow. The current listing of articles contains the title, author, year of publication, etc. Residents of northwestern BC who wish to read the full text of the articles can have the information physically sent to them from the Library.

"The Library is pleased to have the opportunity to build a resource on such a relevant local issue," says Robin Fisher UNBC Dean of Arts, Social and Health Sciences and Acting UNBC Librarian. "Additions are being made to the database on a regular basis."

There is currently a moratorium on oil and gas development off BC's North Coast, but residents of the North Coast have requested a review of the moratorium for the economic development of the region.