Site C employment sees an increase in March

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — BC Hydro reported 5,233 workers at the Site C dam project in March 2023, a 377-person increase from February.

According to BC Hydro, 905 contractors working at the dam in February were Peace region residents, accounting for 20 per cent of the workforce.

There were 3,597 people who were B.C. primary residents working at Site C, accounting for 69 per cent of the workforce.

The number of apprentices increased from 201 in February 2023 to 243 in March 2023.

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 419 Indigenous workers at Site C in February.

BC Hydro said 522 women worked at the dam project in March.

In a recent construction bulletin, BC Hydro said it could begin the process of filling the reservoir as early as this fall.

The process of filling the reservoir will take four months at a varying rate of 0.3 to two metres per day. Once completed, the reservoir will be approximately three times wider than the Peace River.

The deepest parts of the reservoir will be approximately 52 metres near the dam, with shallower areas around Hudson’s Hope being 18 metres.