Supreme Court of Canada dismisses judicial review of Site C dam project

OTTAWA, ON. (NEWS 1130) – The country’s highest court has ruled against two First Nations hoping to delay the controversial Site C dam project. It will not hear appeals from the West Moberly and Prophet River First Nations which had been asking for a judicial review of the mega-project which they feel was done without proper consultation.

Joe Foy with the Wilderness Committee was hoping the First Nations would get their day in court. “In my view, they’ve really been treated badly. The provincial government has never shown what is the need to flood 100 kilometres of valley bottom lands in the heart of their territory.”

The Prophet River and West Moberly First Nations had already lost in their quest for that judicial review in the lower courts.

Foy adds the entire process around the mega-project so far has been, what he calls, unjust. “There has never been a shown need for the project. I very much would like to see West Moberly and Prophet River First Nations get their day in court.”

The initial review claimed the provincial government lacks the proper authority to approve the project.

Construction began on the $8.5 billion project near Fort St. John back in 2015. Once it’s finished, the dam will flood an 83-kilometre long river valley, providing enough electricity to power the equivalent of roughly 500,000 homes.