Aside from the obvious - how will this help First Nation communities?

I realize that I am traveling on untrammeled ground as an Alaskan author of this posting.  Please to those more knowledgeable on BC utility law - feel free to correct any factual errors.

Our Northern First Nation communities in non-grid connected communities in both Northern BC and Southeast Alaska pay an extraordinary cost for energy.  In Alaska, the first 500 kilowatt-hours of energy is equalized, in BC there is a much higher level of equalization for diesel dependent communities.

Nonetheless, our diesel dependent communities of Angoon, Hoonah, Iskut, Kake, and Klukwan pay a huge premium and a high economic cost for not being interconnected to the "grid".  In BC if a community is interconnected, they pay an equalized rate for residential, business and commercial electric rates respectively.  In Alaska, it's the first 500 kilowatt-hours - that's it!  It won't change immediately or significantly with a community's grid interconnection in Alaska, but it will make a big difference and should lead the way to rethinking how  electric rates are established there.

Consequenly by not being interconnected in BC, those rural communities are on their own in terms of commercial energy rates.  And like Alaska's First Nation communities, those communities suffer a tremendous cost in terms of a local economy.  Interconnections are good for business and sustainable living!