Newly-proposed Bill 31 looks to fast-track North Coast Transmission Line project

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The provincial government is taking steps to expedite the construction of a major energy project that starts south of the Peace region.

On Monday, October 20th, the government tabled a new piece of legislation called the energy statutes amendment act, with the goal of speeding up the construction of BC Hydro’s North Coast Transmission Line (NCTL).

The project will see hundreds of kilometres of new electrical infrastructure installed from Prince George to Terrace and up north to Aiyansh and Bob Quinn Lake. 

It’s split into three phases; phase one and two have an estimated total cost of $6 billion, while phase three doesn’t have a price estimate yet.

The newly-introduced legislation — also called Bill 31 — will allow First Nations to purchase ownership stakes in the project.

Former Fort Nelson First Nation Chief and First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) executive board chair Sharleen Gale expressed approval of the bill in a press release.

“The proposed legislative changes would establish a pathway for B.C. First Nations to pursue equity ownership in new transmission lines, and the FNMPC stands ready to support our members who decide to explore these opportunities,” Gale said.

Adrian Dix, minister of energy and climate solutions, said the province needs to work quickly to leverage its advantage in the clean energy sector and diversify its economy.

“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 [NCTL] as fast as possible to accelerate the development and construction of major industrial projects and bring good, well-paying jobs to people in B.C.”

This is the second piece of legislation that has included provisions meant to fast-track the NCTL project, after Bill 14 earlier this year. 

That bill, which drew criticism from the Peace River Regional District and Provincial Agricultural Land Commission (ALC), allowed the government to approve some energy projects without environmental assessments or approval from the ALC.

According to the provincial government, the NCTL will “unlock tens of billions of dollars in real, shovel-ready industrial projects” in northwestern B.C. and along the north coast. 

Once operational, it’s reportedly expected to create nearly 10,000 direct full-time jobs, contribute nearly $10 billion to the annual gross domestic product, generate almost a billion dollars in public revenues for the province and various municipalities annually and prevent two to three million tonnes of annual carbon emissions.

BC Hydro is currently working to finalize the route for the project and set up some construction permits. Construction is expected to start in 2026.

Beyond its impact on the NCTL, Bill 31 would also affect the allocation of electricity to various industrial projects in the province, amid what government officials are calling ‘unprecedented demand.’

If passed, the bill would see the current ban on providing energy to cryptocurrency projects made permanent. Rather than the current first-come-first-served system, natural resource and manufacturing projects would be prioritized for electricity, while artificial intelligence, hydrogen-for-export facilities and data centres would need to place bids for their power.

According to reporting from the Canadian Press, the competitive process for AI and data centres is expected to be launched in January 2026, with 300 megawatts of power for AI and 100 megawatts for data centres available every two years.

With files from the Canadian Press