B.C. moves to fast-track North Coast power line, set new electricity rules

B.C. has tabled legislation to speed construction of a major transmission line in the northwest and create a new framework for allocating clean power to industrial projects, citing surging demand from traditional and emerging sectors.

Premier David Eby said the plan positions the province to “move faster on the North Coast Transmission Line,” calling it “a nation-building project” that will power industrial growth and jobs. “B.C. will be the economic engine that drives a more independent Canadian economy – powered by clean energy, built through partnership with First Nations and driven by the hard work of British Columbians,” Eby said.

The energy statutes amendment act, introduced Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, would expedite the North Coast Transmission Line (NCTL) in partnership with First Nations, and set rules to ensure electricity is available for sectors that create jobs and can decarbonize, including mining, upstream natural gas, LNG and manufacturing. It would also enable a process to pace growth in data centres, artificial intelligence and hydrogen exports based on net benefits to B.C.

Adrian Dix, minister of energy and climate solutions, said the legislation and policy package respond to “unprecedented demand” for electricity. “Our new allocation framework will prioritize vital growth in sectors like mining, natural gas and lowest-emission LNG, while ensuring our clean energy is directed to projects that deliver the greatest benefit to British Columbians,” Dix said. “We’re taking action to build the North Coast Transmission Line as fast as possible.”

What’s new

• The act would allow BC Hydro to enter co-ownership partnerships with First Nations for the NCTL and clarify exemptions needed to proceed.
• The Province plans regulatory and policy changes this fall to accelerate NCTL permitting and provide cost certainty for large industrial interconnections.
• B.C. will permanently ban new BC Hydro connections for cryptocurrency mining.
• A competitive process for emerging sectors is planned: BC Hydro will launch a call in January 2026 allocating 300 megawatts for AI and 100 megawatts for data centres; hydrogen export volumes will be set later.

Project scope and timelines

The NCTL would twin the existing 500-kilovolt line from Prince George to Terrace and extend north to Aiyanish and Bob Quinn Lake. Government says the project will more than double capacity in the region, unlocking “tens of billions of dollars” in shovel-ready industrial projects. Construction is expected to begin in summer 2026, with phased-in completion targeted between 2032 and 2034.

Government estimates the line will support about 9,700 direct full-time jobs once operational, contribute nearly $10 billion per year to GDP and generate about $950 million annually in provincial and municipal revenues. It is projected to avoid two to three million tonnes of carbon emissions annually by connecting industry to clean power.

First Nations partnership

The Province says shared ownership of a major transmission line is a new opportunity in B.C. Six First Nations, including Hereditary leaders of the Wet’suwet’en, signed term-sheet agreements in July for Phase 2; negotiations continue along Phase 1. Wes Sam, chief of Ts’il Kaz Koh and chair of K’uul Power, said enabling BC Hydro to form “a true partnership with First Nations is an essential step” toward co-ownership “from construction through its full life.” He added, “NCTL is just one piece of a larger picture: a future of major projects co-owned by First Nations that will showcase Indigenous leadership, prosperity and self-determination on a national and global scale.”

Sharleen Gale, executive chair of the First Nations Major Projects Coalition, said the proposed changes “would establish a pathway for B.C. First Nations to pursue equity ownership in new transmission lines.”

Industrial demand and allocation

BC Hydro has about 6,800 megawatts of industrial projects in its connection queue. A 2023 expression-of-interest in the northwest identified roughly 5,000 megawatts of potential load, five times the capacity of the Site C dam. To move faster, the Province will exempt BC Hydro from seeking a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the NCTL, avoiding a 12- to 18-month regulatory process.

Under a new allocation framework, natural-resource projects such as mining, critical minerals, LNG, oil and gas, manufacturing, forestry and hydrogen for domestic use would continue to receive service under standard processes and rates, without a cap on available power. Emerging sectors would compete for limited allocations, with proposals assessed on jobs and broader benefits. Cryptocurrency mining remains excluded. Regulations and directives for industrial allocation are slated for November 2025.

Charlotte Mitha, BC Hydro’s president and CEO, said the strategy “empowers BC Hydro to manage this growth responsibly, keeping our grid reliable and our energy future clean and affordable. The North Coast Transmission Line is key to powering B.C.’s next generation of industrial development, and we’re proud to advance it in partnership with First Nations and the Province.”

Industry reaction

Mining advocates said the line is critical for unlocking projects and critical-minerals output. “As a nation-building project that will bring clean electricity to mining projects in northwest and central B.C., the North Coast Transmission Line will strengthen Canada’s position as a leading global supplier of critical minerals and metals and unlock more than $45 billion in near-term economic activity,” said Michael Goehring, president and CEO of the Mining Association of British Columbia.

FPX Nickel CEO Martin Turenne said the measures “will help to unlock British Columbia’s massive critical-mineral endowment while leveraging the province’s clean-energy advantage.”

Nisg̱a’a Nation president Eva Clayton said the legislation helps “unlock new opportunities in a region that has the real potential to drive our economy forward,” adding that “when Indigenous peoples are true partners in development, the results are better for our communities, our environment and for everyone who calls this land home.”

Next steps

Government says route details and select permitting for the NCTL are next, with streamlined approvals under the Renewable Energy Projects (Streamlined Permitting) Act. Policy changes on interconnection costs aim to let multiple customers share security for the line, addressing barriers for large, energy-intensive projects. BC Hydro’s competitive call for AI, data centres and hydrogen exports is planned for early 2026.