Local governments in northeastern B.C. are voicing concerns around the province's push to fast track several new wind farms in the region.
Developers have secured power purchase agreements for five new wind farms between Fort St. John and Dawson Creek since B.C. Hydro put out two calls for power in 2024 and 2025.
Those projects are now going through the B.C. Energy Regulator (BCER) as part of a new approval process that skips lengthy environmental reviews.
Construction on the first project could start as early as 2028.
"I don't think we've had a lot of consultation. I don't think the people get to say what they feel and get the opportunity to voice their opinions on any of these projects," said Reid Graham, a rural director for the Peace River Regional District.
"It feels a lot like they're being rammed down their throats."
Graham was among several directors who raised concerns at a public meeting with BCER officials last week about the regulator's new approval and permitting processes.
"It all comes down to the same thing, cumulative impacts," said Dan Rose, who owns a cattle ranch and represents farming communities near Dawson Creek.
Energy Minister Adrian Dix says it will shave "years" off of the time it takes to build projects.
"In a time of climate change, people are looking for urgent action, and this is urgent action," he previously told CBC News.
But Rose says overlapping industry tenures in northeast B.C. have already turned Crown land once used for grazing and recreation into "a total mess."
"Your reputation precedes you. You didn't do so good on oil and gas, and this is way more visual."
The province says new wind projects are being exempted from the usual review process for energy projects in order to "aid in the development of new sources of clean energy."
He's concerned about the impact hundreds of massive new turbines — along with kilometres of transmission lines and other infrastructure required — will have on landowners and local governments already facing pressure from decades of oil and gas development.
"Oil and gas on private property, we screwed that up bad. There's places we can't fix now," Rose said.
"It's time to start considering where people live and what we do, and this doesn't give me a lot of of faith that's happening here."
-with files from CBC
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