Peace River directors discuss ‘contentious’ Site C dam funding allocation for third time

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Peace River directors are revisiting “contentious” discussions around funding from the Site C dam, seeking it to be allocated more “fairly” around the district.

During the March 6th regional board meeting of the Peace River Regional District (PRRD), the allocation of funds from the Site C Regional Legacy Benefits Agreement returned to the board of directors for the third time. 

The concerns were first brought to the board during the January 27th board meeting, deferred to the February 20th meeting and then discussed again during the March 6th meeting. 

Bradley Sperling, the director for Electoral Area C, clarified he did not have any objections to how the funds are split between the individual districts and electoral areas but he did have objections to stipulations on how the funds must be spent. 

“Half the money that the regional district gets is gonna be put towards regional functions, while the other half gets split between the four electoral area directors,” Sperling said. 

“To me, each of our member municipalities get money that we have no say in or what it gets used [for], but the regional district gets a portion, and the board is going to vote on where that money goes. 

“It’s almost like double-dipping.”

Dan Rose, director for Electoral Area E, agreed with Sperling, describing the original negotiations that led to the allocation of funds in the regional agreement as “contentious.”

“We’re asking for a revisitation of the 21 per cent that the regional district’s going to get and to look at maybe allowing the electoral areas to spend that where they see fit,” Rose said. 

“I think it’s only fair that we get to use that money and not have it put towards regional functions,” Sperling said. 

Darryl Krakowka, director and mayor of the District of Tumbler Ridge, agreed with the electoral area directors, expressing interest in revisiting how the regional district’s portion of the funding is used. 

“As a municipality, [Tumbler Ridge] is going to get our funds and our council gets to decide where that goes…and I think that’s only fair for the electoral directors to be able to have an open dialogue with the board to say ‘hey this is the amount it should be split four ways, and this is the reason,’” Krakowka said. 

Lilia Hansen, director and mayor of Fort St. John, stated she was in support of the motion, but clarified she would not support revisiting the formulas used to divide the funds between the municipalities and the regional district.

“I don’t necessarily have any desire to see us crack open the formula itself, given how much of a confrontational and, honestly, negative process it was,” Travous Quibell, director and mayor of the District of Hudson’s Hope stated, agreeing with the electoral area directors and Hansen. 

“I still don’t agree to this day that is something that should have been laid before this board to cause infighting amongst the members and the directors.” 

During discussions, Shawn Dahlen, the PRRD’s chief administrative officer, confirmed the board was under a “legislative timeline” and would be required to make a decision rather than defer. 

Dahlen stated that with the upcoming 2025 budget, any changes to the distribution of funding from the agreement would be made “in the 11th hour.” 

Roxanne Shepherd, the PRRD’s chief financial officer, stated the regional portion of the agreement was not included in the 2025 budget, and “will sit in limbo” until a decision is made on how to allocate it to regional functions. 

Ultimately, the board voted to send a letter to BC Hydro regarding various concerns. Specifically the letter will question the amount of funding the PRRD will receive through the agreement and the formula of distribution in the region in relation to the utility’s announcement of increased generating capacity at Site C.