VANCOUVER – The Site C dam review panel’s decision to include vital independent voices in their environmental review is a victory of common sense over Liberal interference, say the New Democrats.

“B.C. Liberal interference with the Site C project is only increasing the chance that costly mistakes will be made,” said New Democrat energy critic John Horgan. “With British Columbians already struggling to pay skyrocketing electricity bills, they can’t afford any more costly B.C. Liberal hydro boondoggles.”

The B.C. Utilities Commission and the Agricultural Land Commission were cut out of the process by the B.C. Liberal government, despite the fact that it’s their job to examine these kinds of projects in the public interest. The review panel sidestepped this interference by directly asking these independent bodies to provide expert advice.

“At a cost of more than $8 billion and with more than 3,000 hectares of prime farmland on the line, any decision on Site C needs to be made with the best advice available,” said New Democrat agriculture critic Nicholas Simons. “The review panel’s decision to overturn the B.C. Liberals’ interference is a triumph of common sense over the backroom dealings of this government.”

In December, Horgan and environment critic Spencer Chandra Herbert sent a letter to the energy minister asking to have the independent oversight roles of the BCUC and the Agricultural Land Commission reinstated, and to expand public hearings so that the majority of British Columbians are able to participate.

A copy of the New Democrat letter to the energy minister can be found here.