B.C. adds National Pharmacare drug plan and removes insulin pricing exception for pharmacists

Three linked changes take effect together. First, a new drug plan called Plan NP (National Pharmacare) is created; any person who holds a B.C. medicare card is automatically enrolled in it. Second, the existing rule that prevented pharmacists from charging beneficiaries out-of-pocket for benefits they are entitled to receive at no cost now explicitly exempts only nutritional vitamins or supplements for people with cystic fibrosis — a previous broader exception has been removed. Third, the Drug Price Regulation's carve-out that treated insulin differently from other drugs has been deleted, meaning insulin is now subject to the same pricing rules as other drugs under the regulation. Pharmacists, pharmacy operators, and drug plan administrators should review their billing and charge practices to ensure they align with the updated rules.

BC Parks adds non-resident surcharge and raises camping fee ceilings

BC Parks has updated its recreation user fee rules in two key ways. First, people who are not British Columbia residents must now pay an additional fee — ranging from $5 to $30 — on top of standard rates when using frontcountry or backcountry campsites, group campsites, group picnic sites, cabin rentals, docking facilities, and mooring buoys. Second, the upper end of the standard fee range for frontcountry camping has risen from $35 to $51 per party or vessel per use, and for backcountry camping from $10 to $25 per person or campsite per use. The definition of 'senior' has also been updated to refer to a 'resident of British Columbia' instead of 'resident of the Province.' Two items in the fixed-fee schedule (Table 2) have been removed. Operators running group or docking services in BC Parks, and non-resident visitors, should review whether their pricing and booking processes reflect the new fee structure.

BC creates competitive process and capacity caps for data centres and hydrogen exporters seeking BC Hydro power

A new regulation requires that AI data centres, conventional data centres, and hydrogen-for-export facilities go through a formal competitive process run by BC Hydro (the authority) before receiving new grid connections or large blocks of incremental electricity capacity. BC Hydro is prohibited from accepting study agreements, design deposits, or facilities agreements with these facility types outside of that competitive process, unless the applicant wins a competitive selection and meets minimum eligibility requirements. Hard caps limit how much new capacity BC Hydro can allocate to each category over defined multi-year windows — for example, no more than 300 MW for AI data centres and 200 MW for hydrogen-for-export facilities in the first two-year period. Cryptocurrency mining projects are explicitly excluded from eligibility and wholesale utilities cannot pass capacity through to customers operating these facilities. Operators already partway through the study-agreement process before the reference date retain limited protections for work already underway, but must still compete for a facilities agreement going forward.

Alcotest 6000 added to BC's list of approved roadside alcohol screening devices

Two regulations have been updated to add the Alcotest 6000 breathalyzer to the official list of approved screening devices under BC's Motor Vehicle Act framework. The device is now recognized both as an approved screening device and as an approved instrument for roadside sobriety checks. Law enforcement agencies in BC can now use the Alcotest 6000 when conducting roadside breath testing. Organizations that supply, calibrate, or maintain breath-testing equipment, as well as legal counsel dealing with impaired driving matters, should be aware that evidence gathered using this device will carry the same legal standing as other listed approved devices.

BC Ferries terminal schedule pages updated for Heriot Bay, Quathiaski Cove, and Whaletown

The official designation schedules for three BC Ferries terminals — Heriot Bay, Quathiaski Cove, and Whaletown (Cortes Island) — have been updated by replacing specific pages in Schedule A of the Designation Regulation. The most notable change is at Quathiaski Cove, where page A30.4 has been removed and replaced with a new page A30.3. The updated pages are not published in the Gazette but can be reviewed at BC Ferries' head office in Victoria or online through the BC Ferries website under the Coastal Ferry Act governance section. Ferry operators, terminal users, and parties with interests in those routes should consult the updated schedule pages to understand any changes to terminal designations or service parameters.

BC brings major consumer contract and direct sales protections into force, with new rules on subscriptions, fitness contracts, and door-to-door sales

A package of amendments to BC's consumer protection framework takes effect, updating rules across several areas that touch businesses selling directly to consumers. The threshold for a 'future performance contract' is now a cumulative total of $50 before taxes and shipping, and fitness or other personal services contracts have been redefined with clearer scope. Suppliers entering direct sales contracts are prohibited from selling certain goods and services (heat pumps, solar panel systems, and related components) at consumers' homes unless specific exemptions apply, such as a consumer-initiated invitation that did not involve an in-person or phone solicitation — though this exemption does not apply during energy audits. For dispute resolution clauses, a 'low value claim' is set at $5,000 (exclusive of interest and costs), meaning businesses cannot use arbitration clauses or class-action waivers to block consumers from pursuing claims at or below that amount. Debt collectors and home inspectors are also affected by updated cross-references in their governing regulations. Businesses operating in direct sales, fitness services, subscription services, home energy equipment, and debt collection should review their contracts and compliance practices against these new requirements.