The British Columbia government has introduced legislation prioritizing energy access for resource projects like mining and natural gas. This move aims to address concerns about increased electricity costs, particularly in the face of growing data center activity. BC Hydro will initiate a two-year bidding process starting in early 2026, allocating 300 megawatts to AI data centers and 100 megawatts for general data centers. Industrial users, including mining, oil and gas, manufacturing, forestry, and hydrogen energy, are exempt from electricity limits. 2022-introduced restrictions on new cryptocurrency mining connections remain in place. The province is also streamlining large project connections by exempting North Coast transmission lines from certification requirements. Furthermore, changes to grid connection queue and guarantee rules are proposed, allowing multiple customers to provide financial security for their projects.