Reduce, reuse, recycle: that is a possible future for the work camp of site C of $ 470 million, an installation that will soon be dismantled by BC Hydro after completing the $ 16 billion dam.
In April, it was reported that the work camp of 1,700 people, located on the outskirts of Fort St. John in the Northeast of BC, could go to the local landfill.
The Community Relations Manager of Site C, Bob Gammer, says that BC Hydro is optimistic that the installation can be reused, with more than 100 parts that express interest, including the first nations, an addiction recovery center and tourism operators.
“The discussions continue to reuse the installation with the interested parties and we have not currently self -imposed a time limit to receive expressions of interest,” Gammer said in a written statement.
In 2016, a work camp of 1,700 people was opened in the Site C dam near Fort St. John in the Northeast of BC.
The demolition of the camp would send regional landfill to the tomb
The director of Area C of the Regional District of Peace River (PRRD), Brad Sperling, says that sending the camp to the landfill would end the operational life of the regional landfill in northern Peace due to the large amounts of material.
“That would be the end of the northern peace landfill. It would be done,” said Sperling.
The construction of a new landfill can take up to a decade, he said, an expenditure of redevelopment of $ 10 to $ 20 million that the PRRD generally saves with years.
Sperling says that Fort’s former residents have been “put in hell” during the last decade of construction and want the camp to take off. The camp and the dam are located approximately five kilometers from the houses of the residents.
“They have supported traffic and noise for the last 10 years and more, and they have been good about it, knowing that one day all that will end,” said Sperling.
He said that the PRRD backed the previous waste from site C, which forced BC Hydro to send polystyrene foam charges in other places.
“We put our foot in that, because they thought it was quite easy to simply take it and let us bury it. But, nevertheless, when we fight for him, well, they really found someone who would take all that polystyrene foam,” he said.
Lobby of the first BC Hydro nations to donate buildings
Geoff Greenwell, CEO of First Peoples Venture Capital Corp., says that the first 25 nations are pressing BC Hydro for the camp, including Halfway River, Saulteau, Lheidli T’enneh, Haida and Metlakatla.
“I think that the greatest frustration of our group, perhaps, is that we do not believe that they take us seriously, you know. And there is a story that the government does not take the first nations seriously or does not believe in the credibility of those nations,” Greenwell said, a non -indigenous commercial advisor who helps at 25 nations.
The buildings could be used to satisfy the need for housing in reserves, where the zoning requirements are more lax, with nations ready to pay the relocation costs, Greenwell added.
“These are nations that have been considered affected by this project and have impact benefit agreements with BC Hydro. So I am bewildered why [B.C. Hydro] I would not want to keep those first nations happy, “Greenwell said regarding the interest of Saulteau and Halfway River nations.
Another group that hopes to use the camp is the North Winds Wellness Center in Pouce Coupe, 70 kilometers southeast of site C, which seeks to expand a program for mental health and addictions.
In association with the Housing Consultant of Granada, the non -profit society foresees a “National Welfare Center for Excellence”, which offers additional treatment beds, vocational training, housing for health workers and research on mental health and addictions.
The executive director of North Winds, Isaac Hernández, says they want all their services under the same roof, which would avoid a “rotating door” of relapses.
“We have many problems in the province and throughout the country. But all programs are isolated, they are separated from each other,” said Hernández.
The CEO of Granada, Mukthar Latif, says that a national center has the potential to meet the needs of BC and other provinces.
North Winds began in a healing center of the first nations of the first nations in June, with five detoxification beds, 10 addiction treatment beds, 40 autonomous support housing units and a community center.
Latif says that an order is needed in the Provincial Government Council to change the BC Hydro mandate to dismantle the camp, allowing it to stay.
“All these are great dreams at this time. The key in which we are concentrating at this time is to obtain the order on the council,” Latif explained.
There are junk traffickers, concrete recyclers and rescue companies capable of dismantling the camp, Sperling said.
“They could recycle, reuse, what happened to those options? Where is Hydro’s responsibility to do so? I mean, the province constantly seeks regional districts, municipalities, residents to reuse, recycle,” said Sperling.
