VANCOUVER — A lawyer for the B.C. government is defending the province's decision to issue environmental approval for the Site C dam.
David Cowie says recommendations made by a provincial and federal government review panel are not binding and that ultimate decision-making power lies with government ministers.
B.C. approved the $8.8-billion hydroelectric megaproject in December.
The Peace Valley Landowner Association is in court this week asking that the decision to issue an assessment certificate be quashed.
The association argues that the province broke the law by ignoring a portion of the recommendations that came out of the joint review panel.
Energy Minister Bill Bennett re-affirmed on Monday that shovels would be in the ground along the Peace River by summer.
