I am writing to you today to tell you a bit about the Peace River Valley and an upcoming rally we are organizing to stop the proposed massive Site C Dam project from destroying this beautiful place.

If you have ever been to the Peace you know what a spectacular and special place it is. Nestled in the Northeast corner of British Columbia, the Peace River Valley is home to fertile agricultural lands and farms, old growth boreal forests, and a rich and vibrant First Nation, fur trade and pioneer history. The Peace region is also one of the most important wildlife corridors in the Rocky Mountain region.

But the beautiful Peace River Valley is under threat. There are already two huge dams on the Peace and now BC Hydro wants to build a third dam, in the heart of this spectacular valley at a location BC Hydro has named "Site C". The proposed 60 meter high Site C mega dam would flood over 100 km of river valley, drowning a land area equal to 14 Stanley Parks, and causing landslides as the banks of the reservoir erode over time. The flooding of the valley bottom would destroy old growth boreal forests that store climate change-causing carbon dioxide, submerge over 7,000 acres of agricultural land, and wash away several people’s river-side homes.

BC Hydro says its necessary to do this because BC needs the energy, but their own reports say we can meet current demands through energy conservation. Site C is not about meeting the electricity demands of British Columbians.

The water behind the Site C dam would be used to help firm up the intermittent power created by private power companies from their so called run of river projects. This would make it easier for the the companies to sell their power to California, at a profit to them and at a loss to the people of BC.

Site C power would also be used to expand BC and Alberta’s oil and gas and mining industries. Site C, if built would be a $10 billion tax payer subsidy to private power operators corporations and the dirty fossil fuel industry.

This is why on Sunday September 19, First Nations and local community members from the Peace River Valley will paddle to Victoria’s inner harbour to deliver a message to the Premier- No Site C Dam!-and we’ll be there to stand beside them.

Please join us on September 19th at 10 am at the legislature to welcome the paddlers and say No to Site C! Speakers will include David Suzuki, members of the Treaty 8 Tribal Association and others.

If you have any questions or want to get involved in this campaign please call our office at 250-388-9292 or email tria@wildernesscommittee.org

I look forward to seeing you out at event.

Khalilah Alwani | Vancouver Island Outreach Coordinator
Wilderness Committee