From expropriation to First Nations lawsuit to political shifts, dam decision brings change. Premier John Horgan has announced his government will continue building the Site C dam, increasing the project budget to $10.7 billion from $8.8 billion. Work should never have started under the previous government, Horgan said, but stopping now would would mean writing […]
Energy
Surprised to be Heard: Presenters at Site C Inquiry Find Their Voice
‘I’ve been to many of these things and this was refreshingly good.’ On a Saturday afternoon in late September, the 12th-floor room in a downtown Vancouver office tower was buzzing. People looked around for familiar faces, quietly talking. The list of speakers read like signatures on a petition. Folks seemed nervous; they were full of […]
Everything you want to know about the Site C dam — answered
It’s been two months since we promised to dive deep into the Site C dam and asked what you want to know about the megaproject. We’ve tackled the big questions: Is it past the point of no return? Why did the BC Liberal government block independent review of the project? We also looked at what First […]
Do We Even Need the Site C Dam?
Recent data suggests we don’t. Decreased load forecasts give us more time to consider less costly energy options. Do we need the $8.9-billion Site C dam? When we promised to dig deep into the megaproject and asked what you wanted to know, that was one of your big questions. And it’s an issue that’s been […]
First Nations members on Site C: ‘You don’t consult after you make the decision’
Despite many meetings, some Treaty 8 members say the consultations should’ve focused less on compensation and more on protecting treaty rights. “There’s spiritual sites all over this place,” says Chief Roland Willson of the West Moberly First Nation. “Anywhere around here you put a shovel in the ground and start digging, you’ll find arrowheads, remnants […]
Halting Site C Now Will Save Up to $2 Billion, Says UBC Report
Demand projections show power not needed, will be sold at a loss. Halting work on the Site C dam could save British Columbians up to $2 billion, according to a report from UBC’s Program on Water Governance. The report says the government should stop Site C construction and send the project to the BC Utilities Commission for […]
Why BC Liberals Blocked Usual Independent Review for Site C
People are still questioning BC Liberals’ review of Site C. Politicians wanted to avoid tough questions about need for project, future costs, critics say. Why is the biggest megaproject in B.C. history, the $8.8-billion Site C dam, going ahead without the standard review by the B.C. Utilities Commission to determine if it’s actually needed and […]
Is Site C Really ‘Past the Point of No Return?’
Cancelling unneeded, expensive, high-risk dam still smart choice, former CEO, economist say. It’s a lot of work getting a riverbank ready to hold a 15-storey earthfill dam. That’s what Site C crews have been focused on for the last 21 months. It’s mostly prep-work, so there are only a few permanent installations. Everything else will […]
What do you need to know about the Site C dam? Let’s investigate together.
I spent all summer reporting on the megaproject, and still have so many questions. So I’ve teamed up with The Tyee and Discourse media to investigate it, leading up to the May 9 provincial election. See the full first story on The Tyee or Discourse Media. For the next few months, leading up to the provincial election […]
Q&A: Dr. Harry Swain, former Site C panel chair becomes outspoken opponent
Dr. Harry Swain knows more than most about the Site C dam. With a Ph.D. in economic geography and 22 years of federal civil service under his belt, Swain spent two years as chair of the federal-provincial joint review panel tasked with evaluating the environmental, economic, and First Nations impacts of the largest public works […]