VANCOUVER — British Columbia has given the green light to nine wind energy projects to help power the province’s economy and light up 500,000 homes, Premier David Eby said.
BC Hydro, the province’s Crown utility, selected the wind power projects following a strong response to its call for new renewable power-generation operations, he said at a news conference.
The development and construction will generate between $5 billion and $6 billion in private spending on the projects, four of which will be located in the B.C. Interior, four in the North and one on Vancouver Island, said Eby.
“We need more electricity,” Eby said, adding the prospect of more people, more jobs and more companies in B.C. will mean an increased need for clean, renewable energy.
“We also want companies to switch away from polluting fuels that can add to climate change,” he said. “To put it all together, we need a lot more juice and that’s what this announcement is about.”
The nine wind energy projects will provide almost 5,000 gigawatts of energy annually, increasing BC Hydro’s power supply by eight per cent, Eby said.
The projects are slated for completion by 2031 at the latest, and eight of them have a 51 per cent Indigenous equity ownership, he said.
The power supply announcement comes as the Business Council of B.C. issued a report outlining concerns about the province’s economic future due to a potential decline in private sector investment and the completion of megaprojects like the Site C hydroelectric dam.
The council’s report said B.C. faces an “economic plateau,” and with no large projects scheduled, the province’s outlook remains uncertain.
“Where will B.C.’s economic growth come from is the question we’re asking,” said the report’s co-author Ken Peacock, the business council’s chief economist, in a statement. “We need a stronger private sector, but unfortunately investment and hiring in B.C.’s private sector appear weak.”
Peacock said the report called for swift action as Canada’s trade relationships become more volatile, particularly with potential United States policies, which could include tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico.
Eby said the business council report was released on the day B.C. was making an announcement that would contribute greatly to the future of the province as an economic generator and a clean-power leader.
“I couldn’t think of better timing for an announcement like today’s with $5 billion to $6 billion of private sector clean energy investment in B.C.,” he said on. “Today’s announcement is about delivering, making sure that these projects get shovels in the ground. That they get generating.”
Eby said the New Democrat government will focus on faster project completions through shorter permit times.
He said the province plans to exempt the wind projects, and future wind projects, from a B.C. environmental assessment, but will ensure First Nations interests and environmental protections are maintained.
The Pembina Institute, a green energy think tank, issued a statement supporting B.C.’s wind energy plans.
“This hugely positive response to this year’s call for clean power helps position B.C. for economic success and community health in the decades to come,” said Pembina’s buildings program manager Jessica McIlroy. “It shows the province is setting itself up to meet anticipated electricity demand growth while continuing to flourish in the low-carbon economy.”
B.C.’s Greens called the wind energy plans a “good step,” but said concerns about project oversight remain.
“We are pleased to see this issue being taken seriously, however the B.C. NDP’s rush to catch up on clean energy initiatives highlights years of slow progress,” said Green member of the legislature Jeremy Valeriote in a statement.
Eby said B.C. is continuing to move toward renewable clean energy while other governments appear to be heading in other directions.
“We’re seeing major jurisdictions move away from clean energy,” he said. “Alberta with new rules restricting wind energy for example. South of the border, we’ll see what decisions the new administration makes around clean energy.”
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has said he will resurrect cancelled oil pipeline projects.
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