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Kelowna  

Kelowna crowd pans Site C

Construction of BC Hydro's Site C Dam in northeastern B.C. should be halted.

That was the opinion of a majority of the more than 60 people who attended a BC Utilities Commission inquiry Monday night at the Coast Capri Hotel.

The public feedback session is the third of 11 scheduled around the province before a final report is delivered on the project later in the year.

"As you know, we have spent the last six weeks collecting data and analysis from many parties that are interested in, and affected by BC Hydro's Site C project," said BCUC chairman David Morton prior to kicking off the Kelowna inquiry.

"We have the task of making findings in this inquiry, and we recognize our findings are better with your input."

The few who spoke out in favour of Site C said they were also proponents of other clean energy sources.

John Cawley said he uses solar energy for a good part of the year. And, while he says he has cut his electricity bill from about $2,800 a year to around $500, says he gets very little output in the winter.

"When the winter comes, I am demanding my energy from the utility," he said.

"From the point of view of Site C, we are all going to need more energy in the future. Site C will go ahead one day."

He said solar energy and integrated energy will get there eventually, but from the point of view of a clean, renewable energy source, he believes Site C should still go ahead.

Many who came down against the dam project sited the mega project as an old way of thinking and a need to respect the land, environment and Indigenous peoples.

"You (BCUC) have been given the utmost responsibility to represent the interests of the people, waters and lands of B.C. now, and for future generations," said Teresa Marshall.

"The costs already expended are very little, compared to compounding damaging social and economic apartheid and dirty resource extraction for centuries more. You have many studies that expose BC Hydro's inflated cost estimates for alternative energy sources to serve future demand, plus its underestimation of conservation measure on reduced reliance on polluting LNG, coal and gas, if we are to meet targets to reduce climate change."

Peter Kerr, one of three people speaking on behalf of Amnesty International, said the cost of building the dam must include both environmental and cultural damage it will create.

He said the Peace River has unique significance to Indigenous people of the region.

"An independent environmental assessment conducted for the federal and provincial governments, concluded the dam would severely undermine the ability of Indigenous people to carry out crucial cultural and economic practices such as hunting and fishing," he said.

This public input process will head to Nelson Tuesday before wrapping up Oct. 11 in Victoria.



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