BC approves Site-C Dam

BC Hydro’s Site-C Dam project on the Peace River, approximately seven kilometers west of Fort St. John in northeastern BC, has received the approval of the British Columbia government. The proposed dam will result in the flooding of 5,550 hectares of land within the traditional territory of Treaty 8 First Nations. This construction of Site-C will have significant negative impacts on the ability of Treaty 8 First Nations to exercise their constitutionally-protected treaty rights to harvest and to engage in various traditional activities on the land surrounding the reservoir. The Mikisew Cree Nation and Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation filed legal papers in Vancouver federal court in November asking for a judicial review of the federal government’s October decision to give the nod to the Site C dam project on the Peace River. The legal challenge from the two Alberta First Nations joins a legal challenge filed only days earlier by four BC First Nations: Doig River, Prophet River, West Moberly and the McLeod Lake Indian Band. The BC First Nations will also be filing a judicial review in BC Supreme Court of the provincial decision to issue an environmental assessment certificate for the project. Disapproval with BC’s decision was also expressed by new Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde.