Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Michelle Mungall has issued the following statement on the final report of the Site C review that was released today by the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC):

“Our government initiated the BCUC review of Site C to assist us in making the best decision for keeping BC Hydro rates affordable in the long term.

“The BCUC’s findings are based on 620 written and 304 oral submissions from individuals and organizations, and thousands of pages of information on the project provided to the BCUC and made available to the public.

“I want to thank the BCUC, BC Hydro and all participants for their contributions and for completing the review under extremely demanding timelines.

“Now it is our turn, as government, to determine whether Site C is in the best interests of British Columbians, after considering the BCUC’s findings and other issues outside the scope of this review.

“This will be an extremely difficult decision. We inherited a project that was advanced by the previous government without proper regulatory oversight, is now more than two years into construction, employs more than 2,000 people, and on which about $2 billion has already been spent.

“We are going to take the time we need to make a decision on Site C that works for B.C. families, businesses and the sustainability of our environment and economy.

“As part of our decision-making process, this month the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation and I will be meeting with Treaty 8 First Nations impacted by the project. We will also be taking other First Nation interests expressed during the Site C review and other processes into account.

“Given the complexity of the issues involved, and the significant and long-term impacts for our province, this is a decision we take very seriously. We anticipate a decision by the end of the year.”

Learn More:

To view the BCUC’s final report on the Site C review, visit: http://www.sitecinquiry.com/