Call for Power

BC Hydro has issued a Call for Power to meet an additional 3,000 GWh per year of power delivery. If you are planning a power project, you may need an environmental assessment to proceed.

On this page

• Does your project require an environmental assessment?
• When to submit a project notification
• First Nations’ role in environmental assessments
• Does your project need federal approval?
   

In B.C., large projects – including electricity and power projects – that exceed certain thresholds must complete an environmental assessment and receive an environmental assessment certificate before they can proceed.  

This must be completed before other permits can be issued (such as those issued by municipal, provincial, and federal governments) and begin project construction and operation. 

Certain thresholds set in the Reviewable Projects Regulation automatically trigger the requirement for an environmental assessment. These criteria and thresholds are designed to capture major projects that have a higher potential for significant negative impacts. 

However, even if your project does not meet these thresholds, you might still need to submit a project notification to the environmental assessment office (EAO) to determine if an environmental assessment is needed.
 

Power projects that may require an environmental assessment 

The Reviewable Projects Regulation establishes which projects require an environmental assessment.

For new power projects, these include:

• a power plant with a rated nameplate capacity of 50 MW of electricity or more
• a land-based, wind-generating facility with 15 or more turbines
• a wind-generating facility with at least one turbine in water and a total of 10 or more turbines
• a project with a rated nameplate capacity of 15 MW or more of electricity that is an in-stream/tidal power facility
• a tidal power-generating facility

Other situations may trigger the need for an environmental assessment, including modifications to an existing power project or if your proposed project is located in a protected area. 

Note, while the EAO can provide some direction, it must not be construed as advice respecting the application of the reviewable project. You should seek your own legal advice when determining whether your project meets the reviewable projects or project notification thresholds.
 

Environmental assessments

The environmental assessment process ensures that any potential environmental, economic, social, cultural and health effects that may occur during the lifetime of a major project are thoroughly assessed.

The EAO follows a clearly defined process in the Environmental Assessment Act to conduct the assessment of a major project and produce a detailed assessment report. That report is then given to provincial Ministers to make a decision whether or not the project should proceed.    

If your project is reviewable, it will need to move through a seven-phase process that:

• involves the EAO, project proponent, First Nations and the public
• benefits from the expertise of community and technical advisory committees
• identifies potential environmental, social, economic, health and cultural effects of a project
• results in a recommendation from the EAO to government ministers on whether or not to approve the project 
• follows legislated process timelines for the EAO and non-legislated timelines for project proponents – usually taking three to five years

A detailed overview of the environmental assessment process is also available in the Environmental Assessment User Guide (PDF, 1.6 MB). Detailed resources for each phase of the EA process are available on the guidance documents page, or watch this video.
 

Environmental assessment timelines

Environmental  assessments typically take between three to five years to complete. There are legislated timelines for some of the phases of the environmental assessment. 

The environmental assessment process is supported by prepared and responsive project proponents. Documentation fully meeting the EAO’s guidelines and responses to requests and questions contribute to a timely process. 

See the EAO’s Time Limits & Extensions Policy for more information.

When to submit a project notification  

A project notification informs whether the project requires an environmental assessment or if it can proceed directly to permitting. 

A project notification helps the Environmental Assessment Office determine if the project requires an environmental assessment or if it can proceed directly to permitting. 

There are a series of criteria that may require a project notification. The most common is if a proposed project is within 15 per cent of the threshold stated in the Reviewable Projects Regulation.

Project notification may be required for power projects with:

• 250 or more employees or contractors working more than 30 hours a week annually
• Emissions of 125,000 tonnes or more per year of one or more greenhouse gases
• Transmission lines that are 230 kilovolts or greater and 40 kilometers in length
• Clearing of 40 or more linear kilometers or more 
• Clearing of 450 hectares or more of land (unless authorized under the Resort Timber Administration Act)  

See the full list of criteria here.

Project proponents are responsible for making their own determination as to whether a proposed project requires an environmental assessment or project notification. 

Seek your own legal advice when determining whether your project meets project notification thresholds. 

Learn more about project notifications and how to submit them.

Engaging with First Nations  

If you are planning to submit a proposal for a clean or renewable power project under BC Hydro’s Call to Power, it is vital to engage meaningfully with the First Nations whose territory your project is located in. 

We encourage you to engage with First Nations early on. If your project requires an environmental assessment, we will let you know about any specific engagement requirements.

The environmental assessment process in B.C. is designed to support reconciliation. Learn more about First Nations and the environmental assessment process.  

Does the project need federal approval?

Depending on the location and type of project, you may also need to obtain approval from the federal government to proceed. 

 A project may need a federal assessment if:

• it is located on federal land
• it is marine-based 
• it impacts an area of federal jurisdiction such as fisheries. 

These kinds of projects may require a federal decision statement from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada.

Provincial and federal impact assessments may be conducted as a single cooperative  assessment. Provincial and federal ministers will make independent final decisions on whether to approve a project. Learn more here. 

Contact us  

If you are proposing a major power project or project modification, it is strongly recommended that you contact the Environmental Assessment Office early in the process at Callforpower.EAO@gov.bc.ca