I stepped from the ferry onto Haida Gwaii last October, the salt air mixing with the scent of cedar. It was my third visit to the archipelago since covering the launch of their solar microgrid project in 2019, but this time felt different. The community-owned project had expanded, with solar panels now dotting rooftops across the islands.
“We’re less worried about winter outages now,” explained Lisa White, a local business owner who installed solar panels on her café last year. “Before, when storms knocked out the underwater cable from the mainland, we’d sometimes go dark for days. Now we have options.”
This is just one example of the clean energy transformation gaining momentum across British Columbia. Last week, the provincial government announced plans to significantly expand clean electricity production, aiming to reduce dependence on American power imports while meeting growing domestic demand.
BC Hydro‘s latest call for power proposals seeks to add 3,000 gigawatt hours to the provincial grid – enough to power roughly 270,000 homes. The Crown utility is specifically looking for wind, solar, geothermal, and run-of-river hydroelectric projects, with preference given to those involving Indigenous partnerships.
“This is about energy sovereignty as much as it is about climate action,” Dave Nikolejsin, former deputy minister of energy for BC, told me during a recent interview. “We’re looking at a 15% increase in electricity demand by 2030, driven by electric vehicles, heat pumps, and industrial growth. The math doesn’t work without new generation capacity.”
The urgency makes sense when you look at the numbers. According to BC Hydro’s integrated resource plan, the province regularly imports up to 10% of its electricity from American sources during peak demand periods. Those imports often come from states like Washington and Montana, where fossil fuels still constitute a significant portion of the energy mix.
The new procurement strategy has received praise from environmental groups and economic analysts alike. Clean Energy BC estimates that the initiative could create approximately 2,500 construction jobs across rural communities while adding nearly $3 billion to the provincial economy.
For Judith Sayers, president of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council and long-time clean energy advocate, this shift represents a return to what Indigenous communities have been requesting for years. “First Nations have been ready with shovel-worthy clean energy projects since the previous call for power was canceled in 2019,” she explained when I visited her office in Port Alberni last month. “These projects aren’t just about electrons. They’re about economic reconciliation and community resilience.”
Sayers herself helped develop the China Creek run-of-river hydro project, which has provided her community with sustainable revenue for over a decade. What struck me during our conversation was how she conceptualized energy projects – not as temporary developments but as multigenerational commitments aligned with traditional stewardship values.
Not everyone shares the government’s optimism about the new approach, however. Some critics point to BC’s historically low electricity rates as potential casualties in the rush to build new infrastructure. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has raised concerns about costs, suggesting that BC Hydro’s purchasing agreements with independent power producers have historically resulted in above-market rates.
“We’re committed to keeping electricity affordable,” Energy Minister Josie Osborne countered when I spoke with her by phone. “But we also need to acknowledge that the era of cheap power built on legacy hydroelectric assets is evolving. The investments we make today are about securing our energy future.”
Osborne pointed to the Site C hydroelectric dam, currently under construction in northeastern BC, as an example of the province’s long-term capacity building strategy. The 1,100-megawatt project, though controversial and over budget, will provide firm power that complements the more intermittent nature of wind and solar.
Walking through downtown Vancouver last week, I noticed construction crews installing curbside EV chargers – a visible reminder of how our energy needs are
