VICTORIA — The British Columbia government says it's seeking new clean energy projects to provide enough electricity to power 500,000 homes, helping protect the province and reduce reliance on the United States amid threats from President Donald Trump.
The province is launching a second "call for power" to acquire up to 5,000 gigawatt-hours of energy per year from large renewable projects in partnership with First Nations and independent power producers.
Premier David Eby says in a statement that the plan helps build a strong foundation for the province and Canada "at a time of external threats to our sovereignty and prosperity."
The government says it also wants companies to find ways to deliver electricity during peak demand periods and to provide intermittent energy resources to serve as backup, while ushering in an "expanded era of energy efficiency."
The province says it's spending more than $12 million from the B.C. Innovative Clean Energy fund in a three-year call for new, made-in-B.C. clean-energy technologies to combat climate change and create sustainable jobs.
Eby says in a statement that the plan will boost clean-energy supply, power communities and industries, and create thousands of jobs while advancing reconciliation and reducing pollution.
It's the second call for power projects from the Eby government.
The Energy Ministry says last year's initial call resulted in plans for 10 new renewable-energy projects with First Nations asset ownership between 49 and 51 per cent, capable of powering about 500,000 new homes.
The government said in March that it was making contingency plans to reduce its reliance on electricity from the United States.
While such plans are typically made to prepare for natural disasters, Eby said at the time that the new threat was a "man-made disaster, made by the president of the United States."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2025
The Canadian Press
