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SiteCdamreceivesapprovalfromBCgovernmentTuesdayDecember2320149INDUSTRYHYDROLiquorCommissionHappyHolidaysPleaseenjoyourproductsinmoderation.Becausewetrulyappreciateyourbusinesswewanttotakethisopportunitytothankyouforyourpatronageandextendourwishesforasafeandhappyholidayseason.GreetingsoftheSeasonWALLYSDRUGSBreynatStreetFortSmith867872-2134ByDALICARMICHAELFollowingyearsofdeliberationsthegovern-mentofBritishColumbiahasapprovedtheSiteCdamonthePeaceRiveran8.7billionhy-droelectricprojectexpectedtocreatefutureca-pacityforthousandsofhomesintheprovincebyoodingaportionofthePeaceRiverValley.TheannouncementregardingtheSiteCCleanEnergyProjectcamefromPremierChristyClarkonDec.16wholaudedtheaffordabilityandsustainabilityoftheproject.Thefederalandprovincialgovernmentsbothapprovedtheenvironmentalreviewoftheproj-ectbackinOctober-oneofthenalstagesintheprocesswasapprovingthegovernmentsinvestmentinthedam.SiteCwillsupportourqualityoflifeforde-cadestocomeandwillenablecontinuedin-vestmentandagrowingeconomysaidClarkaddingthatitwillbeabletorunforatleastthenextcentury.TheBCHydroprojectisexpectedtofeedthegrowingneedforpowerintheprovincewhichisexpectedtoincreasebyabout40percentoverthenexttwodecades.TheproposeddamisanadditionalmeasuretoBCsPowerSmartpro-gramswhichareslatedtomeetabout75percentoffutureenergygrowth.Theenergyfromthedamisexpectedtohelpalleviatecostsforaboutabout450000con-sumerswhowillsavesixtoeightpercentontheirenergybillssavingthemsomewherebe-tween650to900millionannuallyoverthenext50years.BritishColumbiahasthethird-lowestelec-tricityratesinNorthAmericaandweneedtomeetourfutureneedsinawaythatkeepsratesdownsaidBillBennettministerofEnergyandMines.ItsclearthattokeeprateslowwemustchoosetheoptionofbuildingSiteC.OppositiontoSiteCmountingWhileenvironmentalassessmentprocesseshavedeemedtheprojectwillnothaveagreatim-pactontheareawithina500kmradiusmanywholiveonthelandandinthesurroundingareasareconcernedovertherealitiesofood-ingyetanotherpartoftheriversrun.The1100-megawattprojectwillbethethirdprojectalongthePeaceRiver.Ahistoryofdam-agetothelandbypreviousoperationshasre-sultedinoppositionenvironmentalistsandAboriginalgroups.JustlastmonthtwonorthernAlbertaFirstNationslocatedjustover1100kmdownstreamfromtheproposeddamledsuitsagainstthefederalandprovincialgovernmentsovertheproject.TheMikisewCreeandAthabascaChipewyanFirstNationsjoinedfourotherBCFirstNationsandthePeaceValleyLandownersAssociationintheirjudicialpursuit.ItstheonlythingwehavetochallengewithtogetwhatwereaskingforsaidMikisewCreeChiefSteveCourtoreille.Ofcoursewerenothappywithhowthedecisionwasmade.Ourrecommendationsshouldhavewarrantedfurtherassessmentsdonedownstreamfromwheretheydrewtheboundary.IttellsmethatthegovernmentofCanadadoesnotcareabouttheenvironmentdoesnotcareaboutthedeltaordownstreamcommunities.Thisisanill-advisedandincrediblystu-piddecisiontheProvincehasmaderegardingtheSiteCProjectsaidGrandChiefStewartPhillipinastatementreleasedbytheUnionofBCIndianChiefsUBCIC.BCHydrohasfailedtomakeitscaseintermsoffutureen-ergydemandsandhavenotadequatelyoutlinedaneconomicbusinesscaseforconstructionandrepaymentofthemostexpensivecapi-talprojectinthehistoryofBC.AccordinglytheSiteCproposalneedstobeproperlyre-viewedbytheBCUtilitiesCommissionpriortoanyapprovals.InadditiontoenvironmentalconcernstheUBCICsaysthatinitscurrentstatetheSiteCprojectcounterstreatylaws.ThegovernmenthasdeterminedtomovethisprojectforwardwithoutTreaty8FirstNa-tionsfreepriorandinformedconsentaddedJudyWilsonsecretary-treasurerofUBCIC.TheimpactscausedbythisprojectwillviolateTreaty8FirstNationsfundamentalhumanrightsandtheirrightsasIndigenousPeoplesasrecognizedinUnitedNationsDeclarationontheRightsofIndigenousPeoples.Supportersoftheprojectsaytheyhopetoworktogetherwiththeconcernedgroupsmov-ingforward.TodaysannouncementisahistoricmilestoneandwelookforwardtobuildingthisimportantprovincialprojectsaidSusanYurkovichex-ecutivevice-presidentatBCHydroresponsibleforthedam.WewillcontinuetoworkwithFirstNationscommunitiesandlandownerstoensurethatwedeliveronourcommitmentsandrealizethemanybenetsofthisproject.AfteryearsofdiscussiontheBCgovernmenthasapprovedplanstobuildanewdamalongthePeaceRiver.IllustrationcourtesyofBCHydro