$40 billion LNG Project approved for BC’s north coast

October 2, 2018

Compiled by West Shore Voice News

What Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calls the single largest private investment in Canadian history, a $40-billion liquefied natural-gas (LNG) export terminal on BC’s North Coast was announced today October 2 in Vancouver.

The formal announcement saw Trudeau together with BC Premier John Horgan announce the giant energy project’s go-ahead, along with LNG Canada and First Nations leaders.

LNG Canada was given final approval late Monday evening (9:18 pm PDT) to move to construction by a consortium of oil-and-gas companies headed by Royal Dutch Shell.

Trudeau said 10,000 Canadian workers would benefit by this project (those would be jobs during construction). He also announced $275 million in federal support, and said that once built, the project will have the lowest carbon intensity of any large-scale LNG facility in the world.

“Today’s announcement by LNG Canada represents the single largest private-sector investment project in Canadian history, Trudeau said. “It is a vote of confidence in a country that recognizes the need to develop our energy in a way that takes the environment into account, and that works in meaningful partnership with Indigenous people.”

BC Premier John Horgan appeared truly pleased about the deal that required a wide range of approvals including all required  approvals, export licence from National Energy Board, joint ventures have been made the gas supply and marketing arrangements, required environment approvals from Canadian environmental assessment agency, from the oil and gas commission, from the environmental assessment office, Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Agreements are in place with 25 First Nations. Power supply agreements with BC Hydro are in place. Engineering designs are done and construction contracts are in place as well as agreements for Trans Canada’s coastal gas link pipeline.

Trudeau said the days are gone in which the economy and environment are considered to be opposing forces. “In the 21st century we don’t have to choose between a healthy environment and strong economy. They must go together. And today is proof of that,” said Trudeau. He insisted that the fight against climate change must be global, with other countries doing their part.

Trudeau claimed that”Canada has a strong national plan to fight climate change” and commended BC Premier John Horgan as a “strong forward-thinking leader” with regard to climate change. “Growing economy in smart sustainable ways,” is part of moving forward, said Trudeau.

BC Premier John Horgan during the announcement said the LNG project shows commitment from the people of BC to our resource sector and doing “what we can to make life better for British Columbians and make life better for Canadians and people around the world”.

Horgan was pleased to affirm that “BC and Canada are open for business”. People, ingenuity and resources of BC are there to make life better for everyone. BC’s NDP premier acknowledged the Haisla people for “spreading the story for opportunity across the north”. Beaming, Horgan declared this LNG project a “massive investment”, the largest in Canadian history.

The BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources outlined the project in a statement today October 2:

This project will see construction of a natural gas pipeline from northeast BC to Kitimat where a new terminal will process and ship LNG to Asian markets, generating $24 billion of direct investment in BC.

This record investment was enabled by the BC government’s new LNG Framework, released in March 2018. In line with the government’s approach to LNG, projects should:
* Guarantee a fair return for B.C.’s natural resources: This project is expected to generate about $23 billion in public revenue over 40 years – new funds available to invest in health care, schools, child care and other key public services.
* Guarantee jobs and training opportunities for British Columbians: This project will create up to 10,000 jobs during construction and up to 950 permanent jobs once operations are underway.
* Respect and make partners of First Nations: Project partners have reached agreements with elected First Nations at the project site and along the pipeline route.
* Protect BC’s air, land and water, including living up to the Province’s climate commitments: LNG’s Canada project, as announced today – the world’s cleanest in terms of greenhouse gas emissions – will be accommodated within the government’s legislated emissions reduction targets.

Meanwhile, BC Green Leader Andrew Weaver responded with dismay over the news that the LNG Canada project has received a positive final investment decision (FID). “I am deeply disappointed that the NDP minority government’s tax giveaway has resulted in the country’s single biggest source of emissions receiving an FID,” said Weaver.

“Adding such a massive new source of GhGs means that the rest of our economy will have to make even more sacrifices to meet our climate targets,” said Weaver.

“Our Caucus has been clear that we do not support the government’s LNG regime,” said Weaver in a statement late last night. “The government does not have our votes to implement this regime and will have to work with the BC Liberal MLAs if they want this project to go forward.”

“Despite our profound disappointment on this issue, we have been working closely in good faith with the government to develop a Clean Growth Strategy to aggressively reduce emissions and electrify our economy,” said Weaver. “The BC NDP campaigned to implement a plan to meet our targets and reaffirmed that promise in our Confidence and Supply Agreement. We will hold them to account on this. We will have more to say once that plan becomes public later this year.”