FORT ST. JOHN – BC Hydro and Halfway River First Nation have reached agreements that will provide economic opportunities and other benefits related to the construction and operation of the Site C Clean Energy Project. These agreements represent an important step in building a long-term collaborative and mutually beneficial relationship.
The agreements include an Impact and Benefits Agreement, a Contracting Agreement, as well as a Tripartite Land Agreement, to which the Province of British Columbia is also a party.
Benefits under the agreements include a lump sum cash payment, a payment stream over 70 years, procurement opportunities, the selection and transfer of provincial Crown lands and commitments respecting certain land management initiatives.
BC Hydro, the Province of British Columbia and Halfway River First Nation worked collaboratively to reach these agreements, as both the Environmental Impact Statement and the Joint Review Panel reports found the Site C Project would have residual, adverse effects on the current use of land and resources for traditional purposes by Halfway River members that cannot be mitigated.
Parcels of land for potential transfer have not been selected at this point in time. Stakeholder engagement will occur prior to any Crown lands being transferred to Halfway River. Engagement will also occur on the development of the land management recommendations.
