VICTORIA, B.C. – In response to Premier David Eby’s plan for the future of clean energy in B.C. Sonia Furstenau, Leader of the B.C. Greens and MLA for Cowichan Valley has issued the following statement:
“We support BC Hydro's call to procure power and the province's recognition that we need to act now to meet growing demand and to supply clean energy in the province.
“However, the admission that we need more energy should have come years ago when the alarm bells first sounded. After the BC NDP suspended the Standing Offer Program in 2019, many small renewable energy projects spearheaded by First Nations were left in the lurch. We are keen to learn more about the details of the new program and how it will support independent power projects and Indigenous nations.
“As the adoption of clean energy technologies and infrastructure increases, we can expect a boom in B.C. mining in coming decades. The Mineral Tenure Act needs to be reopened to ensure First Nations and environmental concerns are addressed.
“We hope the BC NDP prioritizes reducing our emissions across all sectors and building a resilient, clean economy, instead of using it as a way to approve more electrified LNG projects.
“Given the tight timeline to operationalize projects by 2028, the province needs to help get projects up and running quickly if we are serious about meeting our climate targets. This means strong partnerships with First Nations, proactive community engagement, efficient environmental assessment processes and investment in training and capacity building.”
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Media contact
JoJo Beattie
Press Secretary
B.C. Green Caucus
+1 250-882-6187 | [email protected]