VANCOUVER – B.C. New Democratic Party Leader John Horgan is raising concerns about the proposed Site C hydroelectric dam, just days before an environmental review on the project becomes public.
The dam proposed by BC Hydro would be the third on northeastern B.C.’s Peace River and would flood about 55 square kilometres of land along 83 kilometres of river valley.
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency conducted hearings in December and January, submitted its report to the federal government last week and is expected to post the document online Thursday.
Horgan says it’s a good project, except for the fact B.C. doesn’t need the energy, First Nations oppose it and the dam would destroy so much agricultural land.
He says he wants a third party to answer some legitimate questions like when will the province actually need the power and how much should the people pay for it.
The Crown utility has said the dam is a clean, cost-effective source of much-needed electricity for British Columbia.
“The BC Liberals have made a mess of BC Hydro,” says Horgan.
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We have 28 per cent rate increases coming down the pipe. We have deferred debt. We have long-term debt, and we have projects that are wildly over budget.
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If “BC doesn’t need the energy” as Horgan says, where is all the electricity for the LNG exports going to come from? Why does Common Sense Canadian not ask him how he can support fracking/LNG exports, but oppose the necessary consequences of that position? Where is the article which reports that the Horgan NDP no longer opposes the twinning of the Kinder Morgan pipeline and increased dilbit tanker traffic through the Port of Vancouver? Where is the article which reports that the NDP voted against Andrew Weaver’s motion to stop the massive increase in thermal coal exports through BC ports?There is a wealth of great information on this site, but kid glove treatment for the NDP makes for poor journalism and undermines your credibility.