A Question of Inclusion: BC Hydro’s Site C Dam Indigenous Consultation Process

Site C Dam, a third large hydroelectric project on the Peace River, Canada, could potentially impact many Indigenous groups’ traditional ways of life and cultural lands. Through an explanatory case study, we evaluated the quality of the consultation process between three Indigenous groups and BC Hydro. We reviewed all relevant project documents (n=68) from the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency Public Registry site to identify concerns of three affected Indigenous groups, then evaluated the Indigenous consultation process against best management practices (BMPs) of the International Association for Impact Assessment and the World Bank. Overall, BC Hydro did not apply the international BMPs effectively, due in part to the legislated process and the proponent’s own consultation approach, which limited the ability of the proponent to obtain free, prior, informed consent or identify resource rights. Our findings provide new insights into constraints affecting social impact assessments within and outside of Canada.