VANCOUVER: BC Hydro today announced it will safely begin increasing construction activities at the Site C dam site in a phased approach in the days and months ahead.

The phased approach is based on the provincial health guidelines for industrial camps, and BC Hydro will work with project contractors and unions to begin ramping up construction activities. The first increase in work will focus on restarting some of the main civil works on the earthfill dam and roller-compacted concrete dam buttress.

In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, work at the dam site was scaled back in mid-March to focus on essential activities and critical work required to meet river diversion later this year. This brought the overall workforce staying at camp down by about 50 per cent and helped de-densify the work site and worker accommodation.

BC Hydro worked with Northern Health to implement measures to improve health and safety at site in alignment with provincial health guidelines. This included enforcing social and physical distancing both in camp and at the work sites, enhancing cleaning procedures in the worker accommodation, closing common areas and closely monitoring worker health while on site

A health screening process has also been implemented for all workers accessing the site, including the B.C. Ministry of Health COVID-19 self-assessment questionnaire, along with a non-invasive temperature scan. These measures will remain in place.

BC Hydro will continue to work with Northern Health to ensure ongoing adherence to these health and safety measures while gradually increasing the number of workers staying at site through the spring and summer.

For more information about BC Hydro's COVID-19 measures at Site C, please visit www.sitecproject.com/COVID-19.

Media contact

BC Hydro Media Relations
p. 604 928 6468