British Columbia Permanently Banned Bitcoin Mining

The province of British Columbia in Canada has decided to permanently ban connections to public electricity for Bitcoin mining. This radical step was taken in line with the province's goal of protecting its electricity resources. Considering the high energy consumption of crypto mining, which increases demand on public resources and raises costs for taxpayers, the reasons for this decision become clearer.

The provincial government announced that it will prioritize sectors that will create jobs and additionally contribute to public revenue by submitting a bill to amend energy laws to the regional council. Adrian Dix, the Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions, emphasized that the new energy allocation framework will guide the allocation of resources towards revenue-generating sectors and more efficient use of clean energy. It is stated that this decision is inspired by the cost increases caused by uncontrolled energy demand in other regions.

With the new regulation, from the fall of 2025, the electricity allocation for data centers and artificial intelligence projects will be limited. Complete bans on new connections for crypto mining activities through British Columbia Hydro will be implemented. This means the permanent enforcement of the temporary moratorium the province imposed in 2022. Premier David Eby mentioned that this step will accelerate the "North Coast Transmission Line" project, which supports the growth of clean energy and industry across the country.

With this decision, British Columbia becomes one of the provinces in North America that has taken the toughest measures regarding crypto mining due to environmental concerns. These developments present a new situation that investors and those interested in crypto mining should closely monitor. The move made by the province raises concerns that similar bans may be seen in other regions as well.