The British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) in Canada has directed BC Transmission Corporation (BCTC) to proceed with upgrading the existing electricity supply system from the Lower Mainland to Southern Vancouver Island.

In its decision, the BCUC directed BCTC to proceed with construction of overhead transmission lines in Tsawwassen, Vancouver Island and the Southern Gulf Islands. The project, which involves replacing the existing 138-kV transmission facilities with new 230-kV infrastructure, will be built entirely within the existing right-of-way. The BCUC concluded that this alternative is in the public interest and the most cost-effective alternative. Jane Peverett, BCTC's president and CEO, said, "We are pleased the BCUC has approved this important project. Seventy percent of Vancouver Island's electricity is supplied from the Mainland and the Island's electricity needs are projected to grow by about 50 percent in the next 20 years. With today's decision, we have the responsibility to move forward on this project so that Vancouver Island residents and businesses can be ensured a continued secure and reliable supply of power."

Peverett added, "At every stage of the project, our goal is to communicate regularly with residents and communities along the route and make every effort to minimize disruption and any inconvenience."

The project is also currently undergoing an environmental review by the BC Environmental Assessment Office and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. Regarding electromagnetic fields (EMF), the BCUC concluded that the EMF exposure guidelines established by organizations such as the World Health Organization, the International Committee of Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNRP) and Health Canada provide a relevant and useful reference point for considering the safety of EMF levels from the existing transmission lines and the new infrastructure. The BCUC found that the EMF levels associated with the existing and proposed lines are well below the established exposure guidelines.