The Site C Dam project seems to moving forward with the recent awarding of a $1.5-billion contract to main contractor – Peace River Hydro Partners – to build the dam and river diversion on the Peace River.
Energy Minister Bill Bennett has said the contract price will be fixed and the contractor partners will build the main "civil works" of the dam.
This will include the excavation, river diversion tunnels, intake and outlet structures, a kilometre-long earth-filled dam, a 70-metre high concrete buttress and the road network.
Noting the work can proceed in winter, Bennett said he's confident BC Hydro can stay within its estimated project cost of $8.3 billion.
The construction of the Site C Dam megaproject was one of the key platforms that Premier Christy Clark dangled when she was travelling through the province during the 2013 provincial election campaign.
Her mantra during the campaign was "Jobs, jobs, jobs" and "Jobs for British Columbians first."
Building the new dam on the Peace River and the development of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export industry were the two eggs from the golden goose that were going to bring debt retirement and a huge surplus fund that would secure the prosperity for generations to come.
This vision of job creation and hope for a better life turned the tide for Clark and the B.C. Liberal Party.
One of the concerns of both projects was there would be a shortage of skilled labour in British Columbia and there would be a need to start training B.C. youth so they could take these jobs first when the time came.
These training programs softened the concerns somewhat of the slow start for the LNG development.
With the slumping oil, natural gas and mineral prices, there are plenty of trained workers sitting idle and waiting in the wings in B.C. and throughout Western Canada.
The mines minister has said it's a perfect time for BC Hydro to be entering into its major contracts on Site C Dam.
However, there is a snag.
The BC Federation of Labour stated Premier Clark has reneged on her B.C. First promise for the estimated 1,500 jobs at the peak of the construction phase.
The B.C. NDP noted the premier failed to guarantee British Columbians would be first in line for jobs.
Last year, the B.C. Liberals cut a deal with Petronas to build an LNG facility in B.C. and again there was no job guarantees for British Columbians.
There is something morally wrong when megaprojects are being built in this province, but the "B.C. jobs first" promise is not being fulfilled.
Well, 2017 is not that far off.