The Site C Dam is being officially dubbed the John Horgan Dam and Generating Station, named for the late premier nearly one year after its six generating stations became fully operational.
“At one point in this project’s history, the entire trajectory and whether or not it would actually be built rested on the shoulders of a single person, and that person was John Horgan,” Premier David Eby told a crowd gathered on the legislature steps to hear the announcement on Thursday.
Despite initial misgivings about the project, Horgan eventually steered the dam’s construction toward completion during his time in office. He died on Nov. 12 at the age of 65, just days after the dam’s reservoir finished filling.
Eby said the choice to name the dam after Horgan was based on the “nuance and challenge” of the decisions confronting Horgan about the dam, and his ultimate willingness to move forward in the “best interests” of British Columbians.
“As he famously said: ‘There are many positions on the Site C Dam. I should know. I’ve held all of them,’” Eby said, quoting Horgan.
Site C’s final investment decision was reached in 2014 when Christy Clark was premier. When Horgan took over in 2017, he could have scuttled the project, but instead opted to bring in experts to advise the cabinet, welcoming an internal debate that would eventually change his mind and convince him the project should be finished.
The reservoir will be given an Indigenous title chosen with local First Nations, Nááchę mege, meaning dreamer lake.