Opposition to $6.9 Billion Dam Proposal in British Columbia

A proposal to dam the Peace River, flooding 5,500 hectares (or about 21 square miles), has met resistance from the legal and scientific communities in Canada.

1 minute read

June 12, 2016, 9:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Peace River

The Peace River in British Columbia. | Steve Smith / Shutterstock

"The $8.8-billion [about $6.9 billion U.S. dollars] Site C dam has run into a wall of opposition from scientists and legal scholars," according to an article by Charlie Smith. So much so that more than 250 scientists and legal scholars signed a "statement of concern" in May regarding the regulatory review of the project.

Among the concerns listed in the statement: "this process did not accord with the commitments of both the provincial and federal governments to reconciliation with and legal obligations to First Nations, protection of the environment, and evidence-based decision-making with scientific integrity."

The argument in favor for the dam proposal is for creating a source of hydroelectric power capable of supplying 450,000 homes with a year's worth of electricity. The article includes more specific lodged by the statement of concern with regard to the review process for the proposed hydroelectric facility.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016 in The Georgia Straight

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