Law360 Canada ( May 13, 2025, 2:10 PM EDT) -- Appeal by Conifex Timber Inc. (Conifex) from dismissal of petition for judicial review of order directing British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) to effect an 18-month pause on new and pending electrical service applications to British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BCHPA) for cryptocurrency mining operations. Conifex submitted applications to BCHPA for electrical service for proposed high-performance computing facilities intended for cryptocurrency mining. Concerned about the impact of cryptocurrency mining operations on electricity supply, the Lieutenant Governor in Council (LGIC) issued the Order in Council (OIC) directing the BCUC to pause processing new service applications for such operations for 18 months. Conifex challenged the validity of the OIC through a petition for judicial review, which was dismissed by the Supreme Court of British Columbia. On appeal, Conifex submitted that the OIC was ultra vires or unreasonable and involved “undue discrimination” contrary to the purposes of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA). Conifex also questioned whether the LGIC could direct the BCUC to relieve BCHPA of its service obligation without a hearing under s. 28(3) of the UCA. The respondents, BCHPA and the LGIC, argued that the appeal was moot because the order had been supplanted by a new regulatory scheme....