BC Hydro is issuing a request for proposals for the next round of major provincial power projects, mandating that they must generate "clean or renewable energy" and have at least 25 per cent First Nations ownership.
These projects could be fast-tracked as part of the provincial government's new powers gained through streamlined permitting legislation that passed in the spring, widely known as Bill 14, although this is uncertain until the project types are revealed.
This is the second call for power in as many years, each seeking to add 5,000 gigawatt-hours annually to B.C.'s electric grid, roughly enough electricity to power 500,000 homes.
The first call for power resulted in nine wind and one solar project being selected, each with between 49 and 51 per cent First Nations ownership. Those projects were limited to a maximum size of 200 megawatts. This time there is no max, but a 40-megawatt minimum.
Energy and Climate Solutions Minister Adrian Dix spoke about the need to become a "clean energy superpower" and to enable the province to become more energy independent in response to an uncertain trade relationship with the United States.
"There is urgency in this moment, urgency because we've seen in the United States an attack on Canadian sovereignty," Dix said. "We have to become more self-sufficient, and we have to become stronger."
How fast-tracking applies
Since the start of the trade war, the B.C. government has used legislation to gather more authority for the cabinet to get projects permitted more quickly, and to enable ministers such as Dix to make decisions on which laws will apply to different types of projects.
Two separate fast-tracking bills were passed in the spring. Bill 15, the Infrastructure Projects Act, can be used for infrastructure and resource projects, while Bill 14, the Renewable Energy Projects (Streamlined Permitting) Act, is aimed at energy projects like these.
The authorities granted by Bill 14 are only supposed to apply to specific wind projects or transmission lines, as well as future prescribed "renewable energy" projects. Because that term is not well-defined in legislation, the minister can, to a certain extent, make decisions about which types of projects will be subject to rules governing things such as agricultural land use, wildlife issues or even in some cases, environmental assessment.
When Bill 14 first passed on May 28, it included the nine wind projects from the last BC Hydro call for power. It put those future wind turbines under the jurisdiction of the B.C. Energy Regulator for permitting, while also exempting them from environmental assessment.
One month later, Dix used a cabinet order to expand on the projects included in Bill 14 to include all future wind and solar projects. This does not necessarily exempt these from environmental assessment, but does put the B.C. Energy Regulator in charge, and it limits the application of other regulations, such as the Wildlife Act.
Asked about this on Monday, Dix said there was an "extensive debate" in the legislature on the bill, and that the government listed all of the projects currently underway, while providing leeway to add more.
The bill passed by one vote, with the Speaker casting the tie-breaking vote. The B.C. Greens broke with the government and voted against the bill, and many First Nations voiced strong opposition due to the lack of consultation during the bill's development.
With the changes made by the cabinet order, any wind and solar projects included in this call for power will now automatically be "streamlined," with the B.C. Energy Regulator taking charge of permitting and regulating the projects. Other types of "clean energy" projects could be streamlined, but that would be up to Dix, depending on the type.
Bill 14 excludes hydropower, so if any of those projects are selected, they cannot be streamlined. For other types of projects, such as biomass or geothermal, another cabinet order would be required for streamlining to be applied.
