File photo (Image credit: CFJC Today).

By Paul Choi, MLA for Burnaby South-Metrotown

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SOUND OFF: Growing B.C.’s clean energy economy

Oct 29, 2025 | 10:30 AM

BRITISH COLUMBIANS ARE WORRIED about energy use.

Across the globe, energy demand is increasing due to artificial intelligence, industrial development and data centres, and everyday people are weary of feeling it in their pockets with rising energy costs.

In B.C., we’re taking charge of our energy use now to protect our energy grid, generate economic opportunities, and to create good-paying jobs for British Columbians.

New legislation introduced last week will support actions to diversify markets and grow our economy, enable industrial projects that will create thousands of mortgage-paying jobs, and help solidify B.C. as Canada’s economic engine. We are doing everything we can to make sure that increasing energy demands are not being carried on the back of British Columbians through increased rates.

We’re looking out for local people through BC Hydro, who will be making sure that AI and data centres aren’t taking more than they need, or more than we have to give. BC Hydro will be launching an intake process for large-scale AI and data centre projects that will be capped at 150 megawatts and 50 megawatts per year. Proposals will be considered for a number of criteria, to ensure BC Hydro’s clean electricity goes to projects with the greatest benefit to British Columbians.

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We know clean energy infrastructure is critical for B.C.’s future – that’s why we have 18 key projects that we’ll be fast-tracking – in part to expand our electrical grid and our clean energy economy.

The expansion of the North Coast Transmission Line, for example, will help enable more investments that have the potential to create nearly 10,000 full-time jobs, generate approximately $950-million a year in public revenues to support the services that British Columbians rely on, and contribute billions of dollars every year in GDP.

Other projects include LNG facilities, port expansions, mines, renewable energy projects like wind and solar, and natural gas projects.

We’re establishing B.C. as a global leader in clean growth, all the while keeping the impact on British Columbians day to day lives in mind. We know that global tensions, including U.S. tariffs, are causing uncertainty and impacting industry, but we are going to continue standing up for people in B.C. and facing these challenges head on.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.