Almost six months after the B.C. government approved construction of the Site C dam, BC Hydro is still waiting for the province to issue the dozens of permits needed before shovels can touch the ground. The permits have been held up because the province needs to conduct “meaningful consultation” with the Treaty 8 Tribal Association on the hydroelectric project.
But there are limits to consultation, particularly when the government is wedded to delivering this massive undertaking on time and on budget. Consultations were scheduled to be wrapped up by the end of May so the province can get those permits out the door.
The First Nations of Treaty 8 oppose the dam’s construction. After a year of negotiations, a group of three of the First Nations received a “capacity funding” cheque from the province for $350,000 in mid-May. They are using the money to pay for an independent technical review of the permit applications. Effectively, the government has bankrolled the review, but it doesn’t want to wait for the findings.
JUSTINE HUNTER – The Globe and Mail – May 31, 2015.
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