The Province of British Columbia, BC Hydro, Canada and West Moberly First Nations have negotiated a settlement related to the Site C project.

This is a partial settlement of West Moberly First Nations’ civil claim against BC Hydro, Canada and the Province.

BC Hydro and the Province will provide West Moberly First Nations with, among other benefits, financial benefits, contracting opportunities, the transfer of provincial Crown lands, and jointly developed recommendations for land management measures over provincial Crown lands.

The settlement between the Province, BC Hydro and West Moberly First Nations includes the following components:

  • an impact and benefits agreement between BC Hydro and West Moberly;
  • two agreements between BC Hydro and West Moberly providing West Moberly contracting opportunities;
  • a tripartite land agreement, between the Province, BC Hydro and West Moberly; and
  • an agreement providing for the release of West Moberly’s claims against the Site C project.

The settlement between Canada and West Moberly First Nations includes an agreement settling the litigation claims against Canada related to the Site C project.

In the remainder of the civil claim, West Moberly First Nations has asserted that the existing hydroelectric dams on the Peace River and the cumulative impacts of resource development in their territory are an infringement of their Treaty rights. The parties have agreed to pause the remainder of the civil claim and place it in abeyance, and the Province and West Moberly First Nations have agreed to enter into confidential government-to-government discussions to resolve the remaining matters in the litigation.

West Moberly First Nations is a proud community of Dunne-za, Saulteau and Cree people, whose ancestors have lived in northeastern B.C. since time immemorial. West Moberly First Nations’ predecessor, the Hudson’s Hope Band of Indians, adhered to Treaty No. 8 in 1914.

Information provided by the B.C. Government