stakeholders,” says BC Hydro.
A number of First Nations affected by
the project have been consulted by BC
Hydro. While specific agreements are
confidential, compensations have been
made for the intrusion into their lands,
and offering employment and business
opportunities to First Nations members
is prioritized—in November 2018, there
were 254 Indigenous workers on the Site
C project.
“Our commitment to lasting economic
andsocial benefits forNorthernand Indig-
enous communities is very strong,” says
Conway. “We are committed, but are also
expected, to provide opportunities for
Indigenous communities to participate in
the project. To date, approximately $230
million in Site C procurement opportuni-
ties have been committed to Indigenous
companies.”
Conway also says a 70-year Regional
LegacyBenefitsAgreement has alsobeen
signed with the Peace River Regional
District and its member communities
that will provide $2.4 million annually to
these communities, indexed for inflation.
The overall economic impact of the proj-
ect is profound. The project has created
close to 4,000 jobs, with 79 per cent of
the work force coming from within the
8 BUSINESS ELITE CANADA | APRIL 2019
