Another decrease in Site C employment numbers

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — BC Hydro reported another decrease in workers at the Site C dam project in December.

Compared to record-breaking months in October and September, November and December both saw decreases in employment numbers.

Site C workforce broke four records in 2022.

Bob Gammer, manager of Site C community relations, said the increase late in 2022 was primarily due to the temporary scaleback of construction activity in 2020 from the pandemic.

“The 2022 construction season was the busiest year yet on the project. This was reflected in the high employment numbers we saw last summer and fall, including reaching peak employment on the project to date in October 2022,” Gammer said.

“Total employment on the project typically increases each summer and early fall. However, as major project milestones are completed, we expect total employment to trend downward late this year as we work toward achieving reservoir filling, which could occur as early as this fall.”

2022 Employment numbers:

• January: 3,991 
• February: 4,153
• March: 4,430
• April: 4,659
• May: 5,060
• June: 5,209 
• July: 5,414 
• August: 5,396
• September: 5,420 
• October: 5,554
• November: 5,238

BC Hydro said there were 4,476 workers at the project in December 2022.

Over 3,000 workers at Site C in December were B.C. primary residents, which is 69 per cent of the total workforce, according to recent Site C statistics.

There were 788 residents from the Peace River Regional District employed at the dam site, accounting for 21 per cent of the workforce in December.

The number of apprentices at the project increased from 197 in November 2022 to 166 in December.

The report also provides the number of Indigenous people that worked at Site C, adding that workers voluntarily self-declared their Indigenous status to the employer. There were 312 Indigenous workers at Site C in December.

BC Hydro said 459 women were working at the dam project in December, another decrease from November.