The 小蓝视频 government has introduced legislation that would streamline the approval of renewable energy projects by placing them under the regulatory body currently in charge of the oil and gas sector.
After introducing the bill to the legislative assembly Wednesday, Energy Minister Adrian Dix told lawmakers the proposed law is part of a wider effort to link action on climate change with affordability, the creation of jobs and green economic growth.
It comes the same week a government revealed 小蓝视频 will likely meet only half its 2030 target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“Do we have more work to do? You bet we have more work to do,” Dix told the legislature.
If passed, the proposed legislation would expand the authority of the 小蓝视频 Energy Regulator to permit renewable energy projects and transmission lines.
The proposed law focuses on several solar and wind projects selected under 小蓝视频 Hydro’s 2024 call for power, and would eliminate approvals across multiple ministries.
The bill also directs the 小蓝视频ER to prioritize the North Coast Transmission Line, which is slated to run roughly 450 kilometres from Prince George to Terrace.
The project would deliver a boosted supply of electricity to mining operations and liquified natural gas processing facilities in the province’s northwest.
Critics worry electricity will power fossil fuel projects
Introduction of the comes just over a month after Dix sent a to Alex MacLennan, chief executive assessment officer of the 小蓝视频’s Environmental Assessment Office, directing him to loosen requirements for all LNG projects to be net-zero by 2030.
While LNG terminals must have a plan, they no longer have to be powered by grid electricity by 2030 if there’s an inability to provide enough electricity, the letter stated.
Those loosened rules and the latest bill have some critics worried.
小蓝视频 Green interim Leader Jeremy Valeriote raised questions around the independence of the 小蓝视频ER.
“They were essentially permitting oil and gas. They have been accused of being too captured by that industry,” he said.
Valeriote said he's also concerned the transmission line will be used in the service of big industry — including oil and gas — instead of serving 小蓝视频 ratepayers with affordable electricity.
“If we’re going to produce clean energy, what’s it going to be used for?” said the MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky.
In a press conference Thursday, Premier David Eby said the recent flurry of proposed legislation aimed at fast-tracking infrastructure projects will not be used for oil and gas pipelines nor to power LNG projects.
“We won't be using it for those things. However, we will be using it for energy security,” Eby said, pointing to potential hydrogen gas projects and mining.
“These are some of the biggest polluters in the province, some of our biggest point sources of carbon emissions.”
By driving down industrial emissions in 小蓝视频's northwest, Eby said his government is looking to make products like critical minerals among the cleanest in the world. That way they will be competitive on European markets that will soon put a premium on low-carbon products.
“This is a natural for British Columbia, and so we're very hopeful that it powers a lot of heavy industry,” the premier said.
Opposition slams bill as 'power grab'
Larry Neufeld, Conservative shadow minister of energy and MLA for Peace River South, said the proposed law is an echo of the NDP's U.S. put forward in March but later walked back after critics said it gave too much power to the Premier’s Office.
In one rebuke, the 小蓝视频 Chamber of Commerce said the bill gave the government unwarranted and sweeping powers with little to no guardrails and accountability to the Legislative Assembly.
“While we accept there is a common threat to our economic prosperity that lies outside our national borders, we are not at war,” wrote chamber president and CEO Fiona Famulak.
Instead of one piece of legislation, Neufeld said the government now appears to be carving up the previously proposed law into several bills.
“[This bill] expands that same power grab,” said Neufeld.
Under the proposed law, the 小蓝视频ER would have the ability to bypass barriers under the Heritage Act and the Agricultural Land Reserve so it can use farmland to build transmission lines and renewable energy projects.
The regulator would still be required to consult with First Nations, local governments and others affected by the projects.
The 小蓝视频ER already authorizes use of farmland for oil and gas activities.
小蓝视频’s largest gas utility, Fortis小蓝视频, is also looking to benefit from the bill, as the company also provides electricity to customers in the southern Interior.
Last year, Fortis小蓝视频 issued a request for expression of interest for new power to identify projects that could provide up to 1,100 gigawatt hours of energy supply for its roughly 190,000 electricity customers in the south Okanagan by 2030.
Doug Slater, Fortis小蓝视频’s vice-president of Indigenous relations and regulatory affairs, said in a statement that the company hopes that the bill will eventually help streamline that request.
Second bill would boost ministry power to build ‘provincially significant’ infrastructure projects
On Thursday, the government introduced a to expedite the construction of infrastructure across the province.
If passed, the law would allow the government to more quickly deliver schools, hospitals and other core community infrastructure like student housing. Premier Eby said it was intended to pair up with the energy minister’s bill on renewable energy projects.
“At a time of uncertainty caused by Donald Trump’s tariffs, it’s more important than ever that we create more good-paying jobs by delivering the critical infrastructure projects people need — faster,” said Premier David Eby in a statement Thursday.
The idea is to meet demands of a growing population, said Eby at the Thursday press conference.
By expediting the province’s environmental assessment process, the law would give the premier and the Ministry of Infrastructure substantial powers to build projects on behalf of school districts, health authorities and post-secondary institutions.
It would also allow for the streamlined approval of “provincially significant” projects built for Crown corporations, local governments, First Nations and private proponents, the province said.
“Provincially significant” projects are defined as those that create significant economic, social or environmental benefits for people in 小蓝视频
Among other things, they could include projects that significantly contribute to critical mineral supply; replace U.S. imports or diversify trade; work toward the province’s housing or climate goals; provide food and water security; or improve disaster recovery, the government said.
The bill describes two categories of provincially significant projects:
- Category 1: those delivered by core government, including all projects delivered by the ministry of infrastructure, such as hospitals, schools, long-term care homes and cancer centres.
- Category 2: provincially significant projects designated by order-in-council and delivered by third parties, including Crown corporations, local governments, First Nations and private entities.
The proposed law would also allow local governments a path to request the province to build significant projects in their communities. The ministry said it would provide further criteria in the coming weeks.
Valeriote said his Green caucus was generally in favour of making the regulatory and permitting processes more streamlined. He said it’s hard to oppose the construction of hospitals and schools.
“What I’m concerned about in this one is shoehorning in other private sector projects,” he said. “Our job is to make sure it does not expand its power and scope beyond public infrastructure.”
A spokesperson for the Green Party said the bills do not impact NDP-Green confidence-and-supply agreement currently helping to prop up the minority government.
