Environmental assessment regulations to be exempted for wind projects

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – B.C. will not do the environmental assessments for at least nine wind energy projects in order to fast-track them, a minister has confirmed.

On February 4th, the provincial government announced a list of 18 projects being accelerated in various capacities across the province. Five of these projects are located in or have ties to northeast B.C.

Adrian Dix, the minister of environment and climate solutions, told Energeticcity.ca such acceleration efforts include removing the requirement for wind energy projects to undergo environmental assessments (EA). 

EAs are required under the Environmental Assessment Act for projects set to produce over 50 megawatts of power, and are designed to account for any potential effect the project may have on the local environment, economy or health.

“We have [in the case of wind projects] exempted those projects from the environmental assessment process,” Dix said.  

“In addition [we] announced that we’re moving the responsibility for permitting over to the B.C. Energy Regulator, which we believe will also reduce time and cost, and allow us to get from announcement … to the first energy produced in a much shorter period of time.”

Dix explained the removal of EAs is not intended to decrease standards for the projects, but rather speed up their realization. 

“It shouldn’t take longer to permit a project like a wind energy project than it takes to build it,” Dix stated. 

According to Dix, the change in the permitting and approval process for wind energy projects is intended to be permanent.

The minister indicated the list was “not exclusive”, and more projects could be added in the future. Dix said it was intended to “send a message” that economic activity and diversity is crucial for the future of B.C.  

“I think it’s very exciting for economic development in the region, for the future of the Peace. Of course, like every other project, they’re going to have to go through permitting processes and meet the important environmental and other values that are set out in those processes.”

In the Peace River region there are two wind projects which will be immediately impacted by this permitting change; the Taylor Wind Project and the Stewart Creek Wind Project. Both are 51 per cent Indigenous-owned, and prior to the provincial announcement were expected to come online in 2031 and 2030 respectively.