BC Hydro and the BC Government MUST delay the flooding of the Peace River area for the site C Dam as reports have proven that both parties are scrambling at the last minute trying to figure out a plan about all the bears that are about to go into hibernation for the winter and will be drowned in their dens as the flooding, set to start in late fall of 2023, begins.

Despite BC Hydro contracting RAM Environmental Response to relocate bears through the use of culvert traps, leg hold snares or tranquilization, this is not proven to be an effective alternative as bears do not necessarily adopt temporary dens and those that abandon these unknown dens will most likely die as it will be deep winter and finding a new suitable den unlikely. 

According to a Nov 10, 2023 article in The Narwhal, "Wildlife biologist Helen Davis ...said she was 'a little dumbfounded' when she received a call this week from BC Hydro asking for advice about constructing artificial bear dens" when flooding is set to commence at an unknown date in the fall of 2023.  (https://thenarwhal.ca/site-c-dam-bear-removal She also stated that she had published a paper, which she sent to BC Hydro, which showed that the bears didn't use the dens. 

In addition to this imminent potential travesty for BC bears in the Peace River area, relocation is rarely successful because bears are territorial and bears in other areas will also be negatively impacted by relocation.  

Please sign this petition, contact BC Hydro directly at 1-800-BCHYDRO or reach out to BC MLA Adam Olsen to express your concern at Adam.Olsen.MLA@leg.bc.ca or call 250-655-5600.