BC is famed for its natural beauty. Snow-topped mountains, a stunning seascape, rugged fjords and wild rivers all add up to produce some of the most varied and fantastic scenery found anywhere on the planet. Our bountiful rivers have traditionally ensured that 80 to 90 percent of BC’s electricity generation is “clean”—producing no damaging greenhouse gas emissions. Our ability to generate power by tapping the natural strength of the sun, the wind and the waves leaves us with many enviable options as the world races to slash carbon emissions. A Special Place.

In 2002, the BC government released its controversial “Energy Plan.” The plan decreed that "the private sector will develop new electricity generation, with BC Hydro restricted to improvements at existing plants." It led to a gold rush on BC’s rivers and creeks. More than 800 BC water bodies, from the Kootenays to the Sunshine Coast, were staked for “run of river” power development by private companies, some financed by global energy giants like General Electric. Most proposed “run of river” developments are exempt from environmental assessment, and BC’s lack of an endangered species law means that projects are often inappropriately sited in relation to species at risk. Local governments are muzzled by Bill 30, which eliminates their right to plan for power projects or to reject them if they are deemed to pose a threat to the environment. Threats to BC's Environment. 

One proposed “run of river” project in Bute Inlet, 300 kilometres north of Vancouver, Powell River, would harness more than 1,000 megawatts of electricity—equivalent to the power that would be generated by the proposed Site C dam--and march it over the Coast Mountains to the electrical grid. In addition to 17 stream diversions and 445 kilometres of transmission lines, the project would involve 314 kilometres of roads, 142 bridges, 16 powerhouses, and a substation—all this in a wilderness area that encompasses the southernmost range of coastal grizzlies, all five species of BC salmon and nesting areas for the endangered marbled murrelet seabird. Our Campaigns.

Sierra Club BC believes BC’s energy needs can be met primarily through conservation and demand-side management. Where new energy is required, we support low-impact green renewable energy projects on an individual basis. When properly sited, with attention paid to location size to minimize the ecological footprint, these projects can create clean renewable energy. BC has a role to play in helping other jurisdictions make the transition to clean, green power; yet we must ensure that, in the process, we preserve wilderness areas that play a critical role in storing carbon and which are crucial for ensuring that plant and animal species can adapt to the changing climate. Solutions That Work.

As BC speeds up development of cleaner, carbon-neutral energy, we need a thoughtful, comprehensive and publicly acceptable template to assess the full environmental footprint of new power proposals. BC must introduce a cumulative impacts assessment for “run of river” power projects that will address the impact that multiple river diversions, roads, blasting, transmission lines and staging areas have on our land base and wildlife. We also must set limits on the appropriate scale of a “green power” project. Notably, California’s limit is 30 megawatts, in contrast to Bute’s proposed 1,000 megawatts. Rights to use our rivers and public land must also be granted through open public processes. What You Can Do