Message from the Minister

The BC Energy Plan: A Vision for Clean Energy Leadership is a made-in-B.C. solution to the common global challenge of ensuring a secure, reliable supply of affordable energy in an environmentally responsible way. In the next decade government will balance the opportunities and increased prosperity available from our natural resources while leading the world in sustainable environmental management.

This energy plan puts us in a leadership role that will see the province move to eliminating or offsetting greenhouse gas emissions for all new projects in the growing electricity sector, end flaring from oil and gas producing wells, and put in place a plan to make B.C. electricity self-sufficient by 2016.

In developing this plan, the government met with key stakeholders, environmental non-government organizations, First Nations, industry representatives and others. In all, more than 100 meetings were held with a wide range of parties to gather ideas and feedback on new policy actions and strategies now contained in The BC Energy Plan.

By building on the strong successes of Energy Plan 2002, this energy plan will provide secure, affordable energy for British Columbia. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to public ownership of our BC Hydro assets while broadening our supply of available energy.

We look towards British Columbia's leading edge industries to help develop new, greener generation technologies with the support of the new Innovative Clean Energy Fund. We're planning for tomorrow, today. Our energy industry creates jobs for British Columbians, supports important services for our families, and will play an important role in the decade of economic growth and environmental sustainability that lies ahead.

The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources is responding to challenges and opportunities by delivering innovative, sustainable ways to develop British Columbia's energy resources.

Honourable Richard Neufeld
Minister of Energy, Mines and
Petroleum Resources