The British Columbia government tabled legislation Monday aimed at fast-tracking the construction of the North Coast Transmission Line (NCTL) and enable First Nation’s co-ownership of the project.
The province said the Energy Statutes Amendment Act would also ensure electricity is available for other projects in sectors like mining, LNG, and manufacturing. It includes a process for the growth of data centres, AI and hydrogen.
The approximately 450-kilometre NCTL project would twin the existing line running from Prince George to Terrace. It also includes the construction of new transmission infrastructure north of Terrace to Aiyanish and Bob Quinn Lake.
“This legislation will help us move faster on the North Coast Transmission Line, a nation-building project that will deliver clean electricity to responsibly power industrial growth and job creation to increase prosperity for families, communities, our province and our country,” said Premier David Eby in a statement.
He said once operational, the project is expected to create about 9,700 full-time jobs and contribute nearly $10 billion per year to GDP.
“We are making the decision as a government that this is in the public interest. We will be held accountable to that decision by voters, but to my mind there’s no debate on this,” said Eby on Monday.
The bill aims to formalize agreements allowing First Nations to co-own parts of the project with BC Hydro.
“Enabling BC Hydro to form a true partnership with First Nations is an essential step toward our vision of co-owning the North Coast Transmission Line from construction through its full life,” said Wes Sam, Chief of Ts’il Kaz Koh and chai of K’uul Power in a statement.
The province said the next major steps for the NCTL project will be finalizing the details of the route and initiating select construction permitting.
Construction is expected to start in summer 2026 and be completed in phases between 2032 and 2034.
The bill is the province’s latest move to fast-track the NCTL and other renewable energy projects.
In May, the province passed Bill 14, the Renewable Energy Projects (Streamlined Permitting) Act. It aims to speed up the approval of certain renewable energy and transmission projects by exempting them from environment assessments. It expands the authority of the BC Energy Regulator (BCER) and designates it as the single point of contact for project applications, reviews, and approvals, in order to streamline the process.
The province said the proposed legislation is part of a “bold” set of actions to drive investment in major projects and address the province’s increased demand for electricity. The proposed policy and regulatory changes this fall include a permanent ban on new BC Hydro connections to the electricity grid for cryptocurrency mining to preserve the province’s electricity supply. That would solidify the province’s moratorium that was implemented in December 2022.
