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Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations

Land Tenures Branch - Crown Land Program Areas

Ocean Energy

Application Documents

In addition to reading the information on this webpage, the following documents should be reviewed prior to submitting your application:

The following documents MUST BE COMPLETED prior to submitting your application:

Complete Application Package which includes:
If you have questions regarding any aspect of the application process, a specific file or a proposal about a specific area, please contact FrontCounter BC.

Ocean Energy Projects on Crown Land

British Columbia has significant ocean energy potential. Over 6000 megawatts (MW) of wave energy and over 2000 MW of tidal energy development opportunities alone have been identified to date. Worldwide ocean energy potential (wave, tidal, marine currents, thermal and salinity gradients) is estimated at 10 – 20 terawatts (TW), which is two to four times the existing electricity consumption of the world.  The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (MFLNRO) is responsible for managing the allocation of Crown land resources for ocean energy projects on behalf of the Province of British Columbia.  Both MFLNRO and MEM, as the provincial lead on alternative energy programs, are committed to working with industry and other key agencies to enable a coordinated approach to the development of ocean energy projects which seek to balance industry and broad provincial interests.  Land-use and operational policies of other agencies, including BC Hydro are also applicable where their legislation provides for jurisdictional responsibility.

MFLNRO is the lead agency for the regulatory review of Crown land ocean energy project proposals below 50 megawatts (MW). The Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) will lead the review for projects that exceed the 50MW. See the EAO website for more information http://www.eao.gov.bc.ca.

To apply for an Ocean Energy tenure, you must be:

  • a Canadian citizen or permanent resident at least 19 years of age; or
  • a partnership or corporation registered in the province of B.C.
Tenure Authorization

Ocean Energy projects on Crown land are normally authorized by a variety of tenure types such as leases, licences and rights of way for linear features such as transmission lines. Licences transfer a limited set of rights, leases transfer more substantial rights to the use and occupancy of Crown land.  The multi tenure instrument combining these tenure types provides an alternative to multiple tenure documents by providing a more streamlined package that maintains the type of rights granted under the traditional tenure suite.

Fees and Rents

Fees and rents which you will be required to pay include:

  • an application fee when you submit your application;
  • annual rent, as outlined below.
How Is My Rent Determined?

Rents are determined based on the type of rights being transferred and zone land values.

As a general rule, fewer land rights correspond with lower rental rates and similarly zone land values are lower in remote areas and higher in areas such Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.

Zone values represent a blended average of land values across the zone outside of municipal boundaries, and therefore individual parcels may have a higher or lower value than the zone rate. Where there is market evidence of a significant difference between the zone rate and the market value of land, a percentage of the appraised market value may be used for rental determination, rather than the zone rate.

Rent is also influenced by the type of tenure or licence. For example:

  • Consideration for a right of way is normally a one-time payment for the full term, based on 100% of zone land value, with the minimum payment of $500. Alternatively, an annual payment option may be available upon request from the tenure holder.
  • Rent for a licence is calculated at 7.5% of zone land value.
Special Requirements

An applicant for a right of way or easement should obtain the written consent of any Crown lessee, licensee or right of way holder across whose tenure the development is to be built.

In the case of aquatic utility projects, the upland owner's consent is required if the tenure will affect access to deep water from his or her property.

A performance guarantee bond may be imposed to ensure cleanup of the site when it is no longer required.

The most common reason for delay is submission of an incomplete application, which is then returned to the applicant. To ensure an application is processed as quickly as possible, be sure to complete all the required forms as outlined above.