BC Hydro reports another slight rise in employment at Site C

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Site C employment numbers have risen slightly once again as BC Hydro prepares to complete the project in 2025.

According to the latest employment report, 2,801 people worked for the site in March, up from 2,721 in February. 

March’s total workforce included 411 Peace region residents.

There were 2,130 primary BC residents working at the site in February, accounting for 76 per cent of the workforce.

The number of apprentices and people who voluntarily declared themselves as Indigenous rose to 149 apprentices and 115 Indigenous workers.

There were 312 women working for Site C construction and non-construction contractors in March.

According to BC Hydro, “the total workforce numbers include workers working off the dam site area, workers working from home and workers who may have been on site at any one time in that month, who may have been on days off for other periods of time. “

“Not all workers listed were on site or in camp at one time,” said BC Hydro in the latest report.

As major milestones are completed, BC Hydro expects total employment to continue to decrease through 2024 until the project is completed in 2025.

BC Hydro plans to start filling the reservoir at Site C in the fall, a process that’s expected to take four months.

Once finished, the reservoir will be roughly three times as wide as the Peace River and 52 metres deep near the dam, with a depth of 18 metres in shallower areas near Hudson’s Hope.