BC Hydro wants to build Site C in Rural Area C of the Peace River Regional District (PRRD). Site C would dam the Peace River, flooding land in Rural Electoral Areas B, C, E and the Municipality of Hudson’s Hope.

To “facilitate an exchange of information,” BC Hydro has invited some members of local government to be part of a committee: the Chair of the PRRD, mayors of the seven PRRD municipalities, Mayor of Mackenzie and Mayor of Fort Nelson. No representation for the people in the Rural Electoral Areas where the impact will be greatest.

Does BC Hydro believe no people live in Rural Areas B, C and E? According to the PRRD website, populations are as follows: Fort St John 16,034; Dawson Creek, 10,754; Areas B, C and D, 5000, 5830, and 5857 respectively. All other PRRD towns have fewer people than the individual Electoral areas. So Electoral Area directors represent populations that are third, fourth and fifth in population size, behind only the two cities.

Include Fort Nelson, 400 kilometres away and not in the same watershed. Include Mackenzie, 350 kilometres away and marginally affected, if at all. But don’t give representation to the areas which will be most affected by the project, and which will live with the consequences of the project in perpetuity? Good grief! Why the snub? Either BC Hydro does not wish to hear information from areas directly affected or they are ill informed of the governance structure in this part of the province where they have imposed such an enormous footprint over the last 50 years. Either is equally damning.

Gwen Johansson

Hudson’s Hope