Site C To Be Completed

Premier John Horgan says it’s one of the most difficult decisions he’s had to make in political life.

The government has decided to allow the Site C Dam project to proceed.

Horgan says to do otherwise would put British Columbians on the hook for an immediate and unavoidable $4-billion bill, with  nothing in return.

“The consequences of that would be a 12% rate increase almost immediately and foregoing very important capital projects like schools, hospitals, bridges and transit across British Columbia.”

Horgan says Site C was projected to cost $8.3 billion to complete, but the government now estimates the project will total $10.7 billion.

The premier says it’s all the former Liberal government’s fault.

“They got to the point of no return. that was their whole point. It wasn’t about public policy. It wasn’t about energy policy. It wasn’t about the best interest of British Columbians. It was about getting a project past the point of no return,” says Horgan.

Worse he says, the mismanagement of BC Hydro over the past number of years has led to multiple digit increases in rates – 24 per cent over the past four years and some 70 plus per cent since 2001.

Green Party leader Andrew Weaver says he’s extremely disheartened by what he calls a fiscally reckless decision to continue with Site C.

“The government’s argument that cancelling Site C is too risky due to debt is incredibly cynical, ” says Weaver. “This is a question of priorities. They had no problem adding billions onto the public debt to cancel the tolls on the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges, transferring those costs to people outside of the Lower Mainland to pick up votes in a couple of swing ridings.”

“Today, Site C is no longer simply a B.C. Liberal boondoggle – it has now become the B.C. NDP’s project. They are accountable to British Columbians for the impact this project will have on our future.”

BC’s Liberal caucus says the government’s decision will end months of uncertainty for more than two thousand Site C workers who have been waiting to find out if the project will continue.

Joe Foy from the Wilderness Committee says allowing the money wasting, human rights abusing boondoggle of a white elephant to proceed will go down as one of the worst blunders in B.C. history.

“This dam is an assault on the human rights of the Indigenous people of the Peace River Valley. The province is so worried about the two billion dollars sunk into it already, but that is nothing to pay for reconciliation,” said Foy. “You can’t say you are committed to United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People and then approve the Site C dam.”

The British Columbia government will complete construction of the Site C hydroelectric dam, saying that to do otherwise would put British Columbians on the hook for an immediate and unavoidable $4-billion bill – with nothing in return – resulting in rate hikes or reduced funds for schools, hospitals and important infrastructure.

“Megaproject mismanagement by the old government has left B.C. in a terrible situation,” said Premier John Horgan in making today’s announcement. “But we cannot punish British Columbians for those mistakes, and we can’t change the past. We can only make the best decision for the future.

“It’s clear that Site C should never have been started. But to cancel it would add billions to the Province’s debt – putting at risk our ability to deliver housing, child care, schools and hospitals for families across B.C. And that’s a price we’re not willing to pay,” said Premier Horgan.

Had government decided to cancel Site C, it would have taken on the project’s $3.9 billion in debt, made up of $2.1 billion already spent and another $1.8 billion in remediation costs. As public debt, it would become the responsibility of BC Hydro customers or taxpayers.

“We will not ask British Columbians to take on $4 billion in debt with nothing in return for the people of this province and, even worse, with massive cuts to the services they count on.

“The old government recklessly pushed Site C past the point of no return, committing billions of dollars to this project without appropriate planning and oversight. Our job now is to make the best of a bad deal and do everything possible to turn Site C into a positive contributor to our energy future.”

Premier Horgan said that in moving forward with the project, his government will launch a Site C turnaround plan to contain project costs while adding tangible benefits. The plan will include:

* A new Project Assurance Board that will provide enhanced oversight to future contract procurement and management, project deliverables, environmental integrity, and quality assurance – all within the mandate of delivering the project on time and budget. Based on current projections, BC Hydro has revised the budget to $10.7 billion.

* Establishing new community benefits programs, mandated with making sure that project benefits assist local communities, and increasing the number of apprentices and First Nations workers hired onto the project.

* A new BC Food Security Fund – based on Site C revenues – dedicated to supporting farming and enhancing agricultural innovation and productivity in the province.

In addition to funding for provincewide food security projects and programs, the turnaround plan will:

* Ensure the Peace River Legacy Fund implements solutions to longer-term environmental, social and economic issues.

* Activate the $20-million agricultural compensation fund to offset lost sales and stimulate long-term productivity enhancements in Peace Valley agriculture.

“We’re taking the steps the previous government showed no interest in: a solid budget, enhanced review and oversight, community benefits, and an eye to the future,” Premier Horgan said.

“We’re putting an end to the years of energy policy that put politics ahead of people – where government forced BC Hydro into costly contracts, hiking rates for homeowners and renters, and delivering dividends to government it simply couldn’t afford.”

Premier Horgan added that his government will also be pursuing an alternative energy strategy to put B.C. more firmly on the path to green, renewable power that helps the province exceed its climate goals.

“I respect and honour the commitment of people who oppose Site C, and share their determination to move B.C. to a clean, renewable energy future and to embrace the principles of reconciliation with Indigenous communities,” said Premier Horgan, who acknowledged that Site C does not have the support of all Treaty 8 First Nations. “We know this decision is not what some First Nations wanted. Their voices were heard and their perspectives were an important part of the deliberations on a very challenging decision.

“As we move forward, I welcome ideas from across our province as we define an energy strategy that protects our environment, delivers on our climate responsibilities, powers future generations, and creates jobs and opportunities for all British Columbians.”