The Peace Region plays an important role in the province of British Columbia, and BC Hydro said construction of its Site C dam proposal would provide lasting economic and social benefits for the region.
As the third day of public hearings on the proposal resumed in Fort St. John on Wednesday, the Crown utility outlined the steps it took in consulting local communities, and the commitments it has made to those communities should the project receive the green light.
“We recognize we have not addressed all of their concerns, but we have worked hard to hear and understand their concerns,” said Susan Yurkovich, Hydro’s executive vice-president overseeing the Site C project. “If successful, we will continue to work with communities through the construction and operation of the dam.”
Since 2007, Hydro says, it has held some 120 consultation meetings with local governments, stakeholders, property owners and the general public, along with more than 430 meetings with 28 of the 29 aboriginal groups it has been directed to consult.
In Fort St. John, Yurkovich said Hydro has committed to building 40 new housing units in the city that will be used by the dam’s workforce, before being turned over to the city for affordable housing.
While Hydro has plans to build a work camp on the north banks of the Peace River during construction, Yurkovich said that the camp will be fully serviced and not reliant on municipal services, and will have both on-site recreation and emergency services, with safety plans blueprinted with the help of the RCMP. Hydro will also provide funding for more RCMP resources in the region, she added.
Yurkovich noted the tight labour market and demand for jobs during the dam’s construction would be offset with a $1 million bursary program for trades training at Northern Lights College. It’s also committed to providing apprenticeship training for local school districts, and a number of other groups, she said.
Hydro is seeking to build a 60-metre high earth dam and 1,100-megawatt generating station on the Peace River about seven kilometres from downtown Fort St. John.
The dam’s reservoir would extend some 80 kilometres upstream to the Peace Canyon Dam. To that end, Yurkovich said Hydro would build a number of boat launches and recreation sites along the new reservoir, along with a number of new RV campsites at Peace Island Park in Taylor.
Hydro recently signed a community agreement with both Chetwynd and Taylor, should the dam receive approval, and Yurkovich noted talks continue with Fort St. John, Hudson’s Hope and the Peace River Regional District.
Hydro has committed to a 70-year legacy benefits deal with the PRRD, which would see $2.4 million funnelled to the district each year, a payment that would be indexed to inflation.
Hydro has also committed to doling out $100,000 per year to non-profit organizations in both the North and South Peace during the dam’s construction, Yurkovich noted, including direct contributions to local Salvation Army operations.
