Our mission

By promoting positive models of energy democracy, ED4BC aims to ensure that local communities benefit from the electricity generated at dams. We also advocate for improved management of dams to mitigate against their harmful impacts.

Community Organizing Brought Lasting Benefits to Columbia Basin Residents

The Columbia Basin Trust was created in 1995 following successful grassroots organizing, in co-operation with First Nations, by those who were impacted by regional dams. Today, the Trust ensures that they receive lasting social, economic, and environmental benefits from dam operations.

In the 2023/2024 fiscal year, these benefits totalled $80.8 million, with key grants and loans including:

• $2.3 million to seniors’ centers in Kaslo, Nakusp, Salmo, and Sparwood for backup power systems and emergency preparedness upgrades

• $2 million for ecosystem restoration, including a grant to Golden’s Rod and Gun Club to work with the Ktunaxa Nation Council Guardians on elk habitat improvement

• $13 million in new business loans, supporting small businesses and food producers

• Since 2015, $47.2 million has gone to housing initiatives, enabling 1,109 affordable housing units, including new construction in Kaslo and Revelstoke

Public Engagement Led to BC Hydro Compensation Program

In response to sustained public pressure from First Nations and conservation groups like the BC Wildlife Federation, BC Hydro launched the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) in 1988 to help address environmental damage caused by its dams.

For the 2024/2025 fiscal year, BC Hydro allocated $8.7 million to the FWCP overall, with $2.4 million going to projects in the Coastal Region. These included:

• $173,000 for Campbell River Watershed projects, such as gravel placement to improve fish habitat, estuary restoration, and invasive species control

• $400,000 to help protect the Puntledge Forest from logging. This initiative aimed to preserve 100 hectares of ecologically significant land along the Puntledge River.

Groups like the BC Wildlife Federation continue to push for increased FWCP funding and more effective distribution of resources.

Community Voices Make a Difference....

***NEWS ALERTS***

Energy Democracy for BC - Annual General Meeting

Wednesday, October 22 @ 7:00 PM
Cranberry Seniors Centre

Information session on “Restoring Fisheries in Watersheds Impacted by Dams.”

Guest speakers from the Okanagan Nation Alliance and the Alouette River Management Society will join us via Zoom to share how they’ve successfully created fish passages around dams.
Representatives from the Tla’amin Nation will also attend to discuss local fishery initiatives.

Plus, we’ll have an update on Powell River Energy’s application to export all locally produced electricity to the U.S. for 30 years

Updates on PREI's 30 Year Export Application

At the end of August, Powell River Energy Inc (PREI) applied to the federal Canada Energy Regulator to export all the power from local dams to the US for thirty years – until 2055. Since 2021 when the paper mill closed, it’s been exporting under a shorter permit.

BC Hydro Answers the Question: “Why Doesn’t BC Hydro Buy the Power?”

In discussions about PREI’s application for a 30-year license to export all the power it produces, a question that often comes up is “Why doesn’t BC Hydro just buy the power?”

We found out on October 9 when BC Hydro filed its submission to the Canada Energy Regulator that they have been trying to buy the power. (You can read BC Hydro’s submission here - https://apps.cer-rec.gc.ca/REGDOCS/Item/View/4600020)

BC Hydro generates its own power but also buys power from private electricity companies to meet domestic demand. Back in 2023 BC Hydro told PREI of their interest in buying all of the electricity PREI generates.

When they were informed this August of PREI’s export license application, BC Hydro repeatedly wrote PREI stating they were willing to buy the power on the same terms that PREI would be selling it to its affiliated company in the US.

BC Hydro’s September 15, 2025 letter to PREI stated:

“I am writing to confirm that BC Hydro is interested in purchasing the electricity

produced by the Power Facilities (as defined in the Application). More specifically,

BC Hydro is interested in purchasing the same class of service, and the same

quantity of electricity over the same term as provided for in the Export Contract –

i.e., BC Hydro is interested in purchasing 100% of the electricity produced by the

Power Facilities under the same dispatch arrangements for a term of 30 years.”

But PREI refuses to tell BC Hydro what price it is giving to its US affiliate. BC Hydro says it would keep the price confidential and PREI's refusal breaks Canada Energy Regulator rules on electricity exports. Before an export license can be approved, “fair market access” has to be given to Canadian buyers to match the terms – including price – that are being offered to a foreign buyer.

PREI claims that BC law prevents it from selling to local buyers – that they can only sell to BC Hydro. But of course PREI was selling to a local buyer for most of its history as it was selling power to the paper mill from 2001 to 2021.

BC Hydro points out in its submission “PREI could sell its electricity to, for example, any parties on its side of the point of interconnection of BC Hydro’s system, which it has done in the past before the paper mill at the site closed in 2021.” That means, for example, there's nothing to stop PREI from selling to the parties who are interested in redeveloping Powell River's mill site.

What You Can Do

Two things you can do to see that this 30 year export application is not approved are:

1. Download this petition - Petition on PREI. Collect as many signatures as you can on the petition before the end of October. Drop the petitions off at the North Island - Powell River constituency office of MP Aaron Gunn at 27-2700 Alberni St., Powell River or scan your signed petition and send as a file to aaron.gunn@parl.gc.ca

2. Email Tim Hodgson, the federal energy minister. Below is his email address and a variety of points you might want to make:

To: tim.hodgson@parl.gc.ca

Subject: Request to Deny Powell River Energy Inc.’s Application for a 30-Year Electricity Export License

The Honourable Tim Hodgson
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

• I urge you to deny Powell River Energy’s 30-year export license.·

• The Canada Energy Regulator has never approved such a long export license for a company that generates power exclusively for export.

• Approving it would set a harmful precedent and contradict Canada’s stated energy policy. You have said that Canada must double its electricity generation to meet future domestic needs and support new industry.

• Powell River Energy plans to export 100% of the power from its dams — for three decades none of it will be available for Canadian use. BC Hydro has offered to buy the power because it says it is needed to meet the domestic demand for energy.

• The company’s application does not claim to serve the public interest and offers no reinvestment in Canadian energy or infrastructure.

• Since the closure of Powell River’s paper mill, local partners and the Tla’amin Nation are working to rebuild the economy, but Powell River Energy has not participated or supported these efforts.

• Powell River Energy's export license would be for the maximum power the dams can produce if the dams are run flat out, year-round. This would negatively impact fish habitat and recreation uses in local reservoirs.

• Approving this export would encourage other private producers (including Powell River Energy’s 42 affiliates across Canada) also to sell power exclusively to the U.S.

• The application is not in the public interest and undermines Canada’s energy security.

• There is widespread opposition to this application. The City of Powell River, the Tla’amin Nation, the shíshálh Nation, the qathet Regional District, the Powell River Chamber of Commerce, neighbourhood associations, Energy Democracy for BC, the qathet Climate Alliance, and to date 1,450 individuals have all submitted letters in opposition.

• Under the Canada Energy Act, the Minister and Cabinet have the authority to review and reject the application.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, Province]
[Email / Phone]

PROMOTING COMMUNITY BENEFITS

RESEARCH AND SUBMISSIONS

ADVOCATING FOR BETTER WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

Watersheds impacted

by dams in the qathet region

Powell River Energy's 4 dams have major impacts on local watersheds

Over 7 square miles of Crown land can be flooded by PREI's dams

The dams' negative impacts were once balanced by jobs created at the mill that they powered - now all the electricity is exported.

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Get in Touch with Us

This website was intended as a community resource to make accessible what we've learned about the dams in our region. If you have questions or would like to share what you know, please contact us.