Site C dam: landowners challenge government in B.C. Supreme Court

A landowner group is in B.C. Supreme Court attempting to derail the B.C. government's $8.8-billion Site C dam, by asking the court to quash the environmental assessment certificate granted for the project in December.

"In our opinion, it's not valid ... and illegal," said Ken Boon, president of the Peace Valley Landowner Association.

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The association is arguing the government has not properly considered the 50 recommendations from the Joint Review Panel.

Last May, that panel concluded there were clear benefits to the project, but stated "the proponent has not fully demonstrated the need for the project on the timetable set forth."

Boon, who speaks for about 70 landowners in the Peace Valley, said he would lose his best farmland if the dam is built.

"If it was their only way of producing power and we needed the power that would be a necessary evil, we would have to accept that," he said in an interview on CBC Radio's Daybreak North.

"But that is so far from the case with Site C, so we're not ready to accept it."

Government confident Site C will go ahead

The case is the first of seven legal challenges being raised around the hydroelectric mega-project against the provincial and federal governments.

Despite those hurdles, the B.C. government remained positive Monday the project would proceed as planned.

"I'm confident we will have shovels in the ground some time this summer," said B.C. Energy Minister Bill Bennett.

B.C. Environment Minister Mary Polak said the court cases were expected on such a large project.

"It's not uncommon ... if there is going to be legal proceedings, to see a number of organizations present their own [challenges]," she said.

"I think it simply points to the level of community concern."

The controversial dam would flood an 83-kilometre stretch of valley along the Peace River near Fort St. John.