The BC Green Party is launching an 11th-hour offensive against the Site C dam as the clock ticks down to a final decision by the province’s NDP government.
Cabinet ministers have been meeting in Victoria this week to debate the future of the controversial project, and a decision could come as early as this week.
On Wednesday, Green Leader Andrew Weaver implored the public to write the premier telling him to oppose Site C.
“The BC Green Party has stood against this for years because of the fiscal recklessness of moving forward,” said Weaver.
“We need the public to write to the premier, write to the minister of energy and mines, write to the finance minister and let them know directly what they think.”
A government-commissioned report from the BC Utilities Commission (BCUC) in November found the project was unlikely to be on time, and would likely cost in excess of $10 billion.
However, the same report found that winding the project down would cost about $4 billion, including money already spent.
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On Wednesday, Weaver argued that finishing the project wouldn’t make economic sense.
“It’s fiscally reckless to move forward,” he said.
“Let’s get on with it. Stop it now and get on with the excitement of building a rejuvenated clean energy sector across British Columbia.”
The battle over the Site C dam marks the biggest policy split yet between the NDP and the Greens, whose backing allowed the New Democrats to form government.
However, should the NDP proceed with the project, it won’t likely topple the NDP; the power-sharing agreement the parties signed last spring specified only that the project be sent to the BCUC for review.
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