FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. - BC Hydro has received a formal warning from the provincial government. It comes after inspectors determined the Crown corporation was not complying with a condition of its environmental assessment certificate related to recreation impacts from the Site C dam project.
In a letter dated August 17, 2026, the Ministry of Environment and Parks informed BC Hydro that an inspection conducted on July 15 found the utility was not meeting the requirements of Condition 40 of its Environmental Assessment Certificate for the Site C Clean Energy Project.
The condition requires the utility to mitigate the loss of recreational opportunities caused by the project.
According to the warning letter, BC Hydro was required to establish new boat launch and day-use sites at Halfway River, Lynx Creek and along the Hudson’s Hope shoreline, while incorporating those facilities into a broader Outdoor Recreation Mitigation Plan.
The province warned that continued non-compliance could lead to further enforcement action and noted that penalties for violating an Environmental Assessment Certificate can reach $1 million on a first conviction.
BC Hydro points to parking-lot design change
Bob Gammer, BC Hydro’s Manager of Northern Community Relations, said the issue stems from a discrepancy between the original mitigation plan and updated recreation site designs.
“As noted, Condition #40 of our Environmental Assessment Certificate requires us to establish three new boat launch/day use sites, complete with parking, picnic areas and toilets, at Halfway River, Lynx Creek and Hudson’s Hope Shoreline, and accessible via Highway 29,” said Gammer “The condition also requires us to include the establishment of these sites within a broader Outdoor Recreation Mitigation Plan.”
He said the Outdoor Recreation Mitigation Plan, finalized in January 2017, references paved parking areas, but BC Hydro later revised the designs to include gravel parking lots and has publicly shared those plans since 2019.
The gravel parking areas were also reflected in construction approvals issued in 2022.
“The gravel surfaces at the Lynx and Halfway sites are consistent with other BC Hydro sites in the area, safely accommodating a wide variety of vehicle and trailer configurations,” Gammer said. “The parking areas at both sites have been operational since first opening in late June and boaters are using the sites regularly.”
Plan to be updated
BC Hydro acknowledges the mitigation plan does not currently reflect the parking-lot design change.
“We recognize the ORMP needs to be updated to reflect the design change and we have committed to make this change later this year,” said Gammer .
The Environmental Assessment Office says it will continue monitoring the issue and may conduct further inspections to ensure the project complies with the certificate requirements.
The Site C dam entered service in 2025 and flooding associated with the project changed access to several recreation areas along the Peace River valley, leading to mitigation requirements that included the development of replacement boating and recreation facilities.