Partial victory for First Nations over Kenney dam – Business In Vancouver

January 10, 2022

The Saik’uz First Nation are welcoming a partial victory in its fight against Rio Tinto’s Kenney Dam on the Nechako River.

The dam provides hydro power to the Rio Tinto aluminum smelter in Kitimat, which employs 1,000 people. It has dramatically lowered river flows since it was built in the 1950s, which has had a deleterious impact on salmon and sturgeon in the river.

On Saturday, the BC Supreme Court released a decision acknowledging the dam’s negative impacts on the Nechako River and, as a consequence, on the aboriginal rights of the Stellat’en and Saik’uz First Nations.

But the court stopped short of assigning blame to the dam’s owner, Rio Tinto, since it was authorized by the B.C. and federal governments.

Read More: https://biv.com/article/2022/01/partial-victory-first-nations-over-kenney-dam