B.C. Premier David Eby made a stop in Kitimat July 30 to mark the first shipment of liquefied natural gas from the LNG Canada terminal last month to Asia, calling it a historic moment for both the province鈥檚 economy and clean-energy ambitions.
鈥淭he first shipments of made-in-B.C. energy across the Pacific come at a pivotal time for our province and the country we love,鈥� Eby said. 鈥淧rojects like LNG Canada are the reason that B.C. will be the economic engine of a more independent Canada. It creates good jobs, opportunities that let young people build a life here in the North and generates the revenue we need to improve public services everyone relies on.鈥�
Despite growing anticipation, Eby confirmed that no final investment decision has been made for a second phase of the project.
鈥淲e鈥檙e really excited about the potential for an LNG Canada Phase 2,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e in active conversations with LNG Canada and project proponents as well as with the federal government. We鈥檙e hopeful to get the company to a final investment decision. There鈥檚 no better value proposition for what the proponents are offering here.鈥�
Eby said workers and residents had asked him repeatedly about the timeline.
鈥淚鈥檓 very much looking forward to coming back here and making the announcement of an LNG Canada Phase 2,鈥� he added.
Eby said the province recognizes the economic potential of expansion鈥攑articularly for funding public services鈥攂ut acknowledged the company is still seeking further policy clarity.
鈥淭hose are the conversations that we鈥檙e having, and in my opinion the conversation is going well and we鈥檙e hoping to get a final investment decision that will benefit everyone.鈥�
LNG Canada president and CEO Chris Cooper said attention is currently focused on stabilizing operations for Phase 1, which he described as a "key enabler" for Phase 2.
鈥淩eally it鈥檚 just a case of finding the right balance between affordability, competitiveness and environment,鈥� Cooper said. 鈥淥nce we find that solution space, with the springboard that Phase 1 gives us, we鈥檒l be happy to move forward with an FID. That鈥檚 what we鈥檙e chasing.鈥�
The Kitimat terminal is now operational and represents the largest private-sector investment in Canadian history, with $40 billion allocated toward the terminal and associated infrastructure. Approximately $6 billion in contracts have gone to B.C. and Indigenous businesses. At peak construction, the site employed more than 9,000 skilled workers, and has created over 300 permanent jobs in Kitimat.
Eby defended the industry from environmental critics who say LNG development carries too many trade-offs and is subsidized by taxpayers.
鈥淚t鈥檚 60 per cent lower carbon than the average LNG plant in the world. It is 40 per cent lower carbon than the best plants in the world. Which means that when we鈥檙e shipping to [Asia] these countries are meaningfully able to reduce their own carbon footprint,鈥� Eby said.
He pointed to strong interest expressed during his recent trade mission to Asia.
鈥淐anada can be part of the solution by bringing our resources to market,鈥� he said.
Eby鈥檚 Kitimat stop followed a visit to nearby Kitamaat Village the day before, where he and Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions Adrian Dix announced a $200 million infrastructure package for the Haisla-majority-owned Cedar LNG project. The funding will support construction of a 287-kilovolt transmission line, substation and other components to connect the floating LNG terminal to the provincial power grid.
鈥淏ritish Columbia will produce some of the lowest-emission LNG in the world. It is imperative that we get our clean-energy resources to global markets so that we can deliver a stronger, more diversified economy for people and communities to benefit from,鈥� Dix said.
