Provincially Significant eligibility requirements
The Infrastructure Projects Act (Act) enables government to chose (or “designate”) a project as Provincially Significant. These are projects delivered by Crown corporations, local governments, First Nations and private companies. A Provincially Significant project can use some or all of the tools in the Act to help remove delays. This does not mean the project, or the permit it is trying to get, is guaranteed to be approved – it means the project has access to a faster process to reach the final approval stage.
Possible eligibility requirements
The tables below propose how the ministry will determine whether a project is Provincially Significant. Four types of requirements will be used to assess the projects.
A project must meet all four requirements to be designated as Provincially Significant.
1. Project types
It is proposed that a Provincially Significant project must address one or more of the high-priority types listed below.
| Project type | Meaning |
| Critical minerals and mining | Critical minerals mining that is essential to national security and economic health and supports the transition to a low-carbon economy. Responsible mining that supports economic objectives. |
| Food or water supply | Protects the food or water supply essential for B.C.’s public health and sustainable communities. |
| Human health and safety | Supports the protection of the health, safety and well-being of all people in B.C. |
| Energy security | Securing affordable and sustainable energy is key to the health, safety, and economic prosperity of people in B.C. Projects of this type will ensure a stable, resilient, made-in-B.C. energy supply for the province. |
| Public infrastructure | Essential publicly owned infrastructure that supports the public good, including but not limited to the development of healthy and vibrant communities, economic growth, and/or online connectivity. This type excludes Provincial Capital projects, such as schools, hospitals, post-secondary institutions, etc. |
| Supply chain capacity | Strengthens B.C.’s supply chain resiliency and capacity to ensure the safe and timely movement of goods, in line with the Province’s Goods Movement Action Plan. |
| Post-disaster recovery | Supports efforts to rebuild communities after a disaster, while reducing future climate and disaster risk and supporting B.C.’s resilience to those risks. |
| Environmental restoration | Large-scale (large area/regional) environmental restoration outside of post-disaster recovery. |
| B.C.’s Climate goals | Contributes to the B.C.’s goals of reducing the impacts of climate change and building a clean economy. |
| Housing | Advances efforts to increase affordable housing supply for people in B.C. to create healthy and vibrant communities. |
2. First Nations decision-makers’ support
The project must have support from significantly and directly impacted First Nations decision-makers so that the project can be designated as Provincially Significant and have access to the tools in the Act. The province must continue to meet its duty to consult requirements.
3. Core requirements
In addition to meeting at least one of the project types listed above, it is proposed that a project must meet all 3 core requirements to be considered Provincially Significant.
| Core requirement | Meaning |
| Project readiness | Financing: Project must have a viable plan to have funding in place. Path to Success: A plan and deliverables that includes the development of a feasibility study, a business case and partners in place. |
| Problem can be addressed by Infrastructure Projects Act (Act) | Clearly show why a project is not moving forward and which tools in the Act can be used to address the reasons why. |
| Project is material and significant | There are two ways to meet the core requirement of “Material and Significant”. Either: The project meets or exceeds a capital cost threshold of $100 million. Or: The project is a public infrastructure project that provides significant public benefits, such as publicly owned community amenities. |
4. Additional benefits
In addition to meeting one of the listed types and all 3 core requirements, it is proposed that the project must provide one or more of the additional benefits listed.
| Additional benefit | Meaning |
| Trade diversification | Advances the goal of B.C. having a greater number and diversity of businesses exporting goods and services, internationally and inter-provincially. Aligns with B.C.’s Trade Diversification Strategy (PDF 8.4MB) and the Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act. |
| Access to new markets | Advances the goal of businesses in B.C. having more trade and investment opportunities in new markets, internationally and inter-provincially. Aligns with B.C.’s Trade Diversification Strategy (PDF 8.4MB) and the Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act. |
| Supply chain security | Strengthens the security of B.C.’s supply chain, including but not limited to road, rail, marine and air. Aligns with B.C.’s Goods Movement Action Plan and the Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act. |
| Replacing U.S. imports | Supports the replacement of U.S. imports with B.C. and Canadian-made products, creating good paying jobs and wealth across the province while reducing our reliance on U.S.-made products. Aligns with the objectives of the Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act. |
| Improves community livability | Advances one or more key elements of complete communities (PDF 7.3MB):
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| Achieving labour goals (for example, apprenticeships, training) | Creates good, stable, family-supporting jobs that grow the economy across the province. Develops the skills and knowledge of workers to equip them to succeed and build a good life in B.C. Attracts and retains skilled-labour and in-demand workers to the province. Develops and expands skilled trades in B.C. |