Effectiveness of the EIA for the Site C Hydroelectric Dam Reconsidered: Nature of Indigenous Cultures, Rights, and Engagement

Abstract

Numerous publications have emerged relating to the Site C dam on the Peace River in northern British Columbia, Canada. This paper focuses on a recently published study that examined the effectiveness of Indigenous peoples’ participation in the environmental impact assessment of the dam. Although the study identifies several important deficiencies, it is incomplete with a number of inconsistencies and suggests a path that is unlikely to be a sufficient remedy. The objective of this paper is to address key shortcomings that could foster crucial misunderstandings. Environmental decisions and actions were organised based on the typologies of impact assessment for context and to identify interconnections and sources of ineffectiveness. Results confirm that the effectiveness framework has considerable utility and improves measurement accuracy. This paper also presents supplemental insights into engagement, consent, legitimacy as a dimension of impact assessment effectiveness when Indigenous peoples are involved, and concludes with suggestions for future research.