Halfway River, Doig River, West Moberly and Prophet River First Nations, collectively...

Halfway River, Doig River, West Moberly and Prophet River First Nations, collectively known as Treaty 8 nations, have received confirmation that the proposed changes to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA), and the Fisheries Act, which are scheduled to come into force this summer, would apply to the proposed Site C power project on the Peace River. On May 9, the nations expressed their concerns to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency about the new legislation and the proposed mega project. The agency and the BC Environmental Assessment Office, has hosted a series of information sessions related to the environmental assessment of Site C, including one in Dawson Creek where close to 70 people attended. “Right from the beginning they have lied to us and created a phony process that is underfunded and where the timelines have been cut short,” said Chief Roland Willson of West Moberly. They said a substantial change in the CEAA is the fixed timelines for assessment. At just over three years, the environmental assessment for Site C is already the shortest environmental assessment of a large-scale hydro project in Canada in the last decade. The assessment could be further shortened to just two years, at the discretion of the federal government, reads a press release from the Treaty 8 chiefs. Chief Norman Davis of Doig River has been vocal about his opposition to the Site C dam. “We have a lot of history in that valley. Our people don’t want this dam. Thirty years ago it was brought up and we didn’t need it then and we don’t need it now,” he said. Halfway House Elder Alice Metecheah said she is worried about the moose and other animals that her children eat. “I don’t want that dam to be built. That’s my future. My future is my grandchildren.”