The government of British Columbia in Canada is working on regulations to manage the energy consumption of cryptocurrency miners due to worries about high energy usage and limited economic advantages.

Josie Osborne, the Minister of Energy, Mines, and Low Carbon Innovation, announced on April 11 that the province is addressing the significant energy consumption associated with cryptocurrency mining, which she noted generates minimal job and economic opportunities.

The proposed legislative amendment would enable the government to restrict or regulate the use of electricity by cryptocurrency miners. This is because the sector's rapid growth may result in expensive electricity supply for homes and businesses.

In December 2022, the province announced a halt on new electricity connections for cryptocurrency mining for 18 months, affecting approximately twenty-one projects that had requested 11,700 gigawatt hours of power annually.

Minister Osborne stated that the province is collaborating with British Colombia Hydro, the provincial power utility, to ensure adequate electricity for the province's future. This includes regulating electricity service for energy-intensive cryptocurrency miners that create few local jobs.

In February, a provincial Supreme Court ruled that BC Hydro's ban on cryptocurrency mining operations was reasonable. Following Quebec and Manitoba, British Columbia became the third jurisdiction in Canada to impose restrictions on cryptocurrency mining in December 2022. The province has stated that it will not approve new mining connections to its electricity system for 18 months.

Osborne stated at the time that the measure aimed to conserve electricity for electric vehicles, heat pumps, and businesses and industries that are undertaking electrification projects that reduce carbon emissions and generate jobs and economic opportunities.