News Release - October 10, 2013

VANCOUVER – Today the Wilderness Committee is calling on the BC government to come clean on its so-called “clean” energy megaproject – the proposed Site C Dam.

"We are shocked to see the extent to which the BC government has gone to advance this highly damaging, insanely expensive and useless boondoggle," fumed Joe Foy, the Wilderness Committee’s National Campaign Director.

Foy was reacting to BC Hydro's latest poll, which purports to show public support for the Site C Dam.

"When you look at the actual poll results, you can see that only 4 out of 10 people surveyed said they supported the dam. That's pretty dismal support when you consider all the time, money and effort the BC government has expended trying to trick us into supporting this foolish project," said Foy.

Foy notes that the BC government has a history of hiding information about the workings of BC Hydro. In 2010, the multi-billion dollar Site C Dam project was removed from the oversight of the BC Utilities Commission (BCUC). Private power projects and planning for future power needs were also removed from oversight by the independent BCUC.

"The BCUC has twice turned down the Site C Dam because it was not considered to be in the public interest. Silencing this watchdog means that these decisions are being made without proper accountability and oversight," Foy said.

The Site C dam – estimated to cost $8 billion – would flood over 100 kilometres of the Peace River Valley and its tributaries. It is opposed by the region's farmers and First Nations, who are concerned about the loss of thousands of acres of farmland, wildlife habitat, sacred sites and heritage locations.

Environmental groups like the Wilderness Committee also point out that BC has more electrical power than it currently needs, and has access to even more hydro power through the Columbia River Treaty with the United States, as well as cheap hydro power imports from the Pacific Northwest.  

"The only uses for Site C would be to subsidize coal mines and gas fracking operations – and people in BC do not want that," said Foy.

BC Hydro is asking British Columbians to register their opinions on the future of the public utility, by submitting public comments on its Integrated Resource Plan before the deadline on October 18th. The Wilderness Committee is encouraging people to take this opportunity to say ‘No Dam Way!’ to Site C, and is also demanding that BC Hydro be more transparent in its public process by publishing the comments that have been submitted.

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For more information, contact:

Joe Foy, National Campaign Director, Wilderness Committee – (604) 880-2580

Photo: Thousands of acres of farmland in the Peace River Valley would be flooded by the Site C Dam.