New Fact Sheets explore issues
Now on the Alliance website, three new informative Fact Sheets:
- Women in Trades: There are vast opportunities for women in the trades. Many of these opportunities are particularly suited to Indigenous women in northern B.C. This Fact Sheet provides an introduction to the potential for training and work in the trades.
- Safe and Inclusive Workplaces: Negative behaviours in the workplace are a barrier to full Indigenous participation in the workforce. This Fact Sheet looks at steps being taken to improve wellbeing in the workplace.
- First Nations Involvement and Oversight: A look at processes for Indigenous involvement in regulatory oversight, including procedural participation, law enforcement, and environmental monitoring.
You’ll find these new Fact Sheets posted on our website at https://www.fnlngalliance.com/factsheets-2022/
LNG Canada studies expansion
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Europe is frantically looking for alternative sources to natural gas from Russia. Naturally so, given that the European Union has been getting more than 40% of its daily gas from Russia.
The U.S, Qatar and Australia thus see new European opportunity for their LNG. U.S. shippers even quickly “kidnapped” some LNG that was being shipped to Asia, turning LNG carriers round in mid-voyage and diverting them to Europe.
Shell estimates world demand for LNG will exceed 700 million tonnes a year by 2040, up almost 90 per cent from last year.
And these words from LNG Canada’s initial application to government in 2013 still ring true today, nine years later: “Canada can provide a politically stable, major new supply source of LNG.”
The outlook is such that Shell is studying plans to double the export capacity of the LNG Canada project at Kitimat. That would increase it to 28 million tonnes a year from the 14 million planned in Phase One that now is under construction.
Wael Sawan, head of Shell’s gas and renewables division, says: “There is a lot of capacity that has to be built up to be able to meet the growing LNG demand. . . . We always wanted to be able to have that option to go into Phase Two. Now we need to be able to make sure that it makes sense on paper before we make that investment commitment.”
- We had more than 3,400 hits on our Facebook page alone to this story from analyst Mike Priario: http://ow.ly/bpIa50IFV81
- And from Enbridge’s CEO, Al Monaco: “Canadian LNG is a jewel. . . . Gas and LNG is going to be key to global energy.’ http://ow.ly/GA5F50ICS4T
- Latest construction video from LNG Canada: http://ow.ly/k2JM50IFWSc
Woodfibre LNG is a go
(This news was added here, online only, as it was announced after the e-mailed newsletter was sent to subscribers on 14 April 2022.)
Construction of the $1.6-billion Woodfibre LNG plant on Howe Sound is to begin in earnest in 2023, and Woodfibre LNG expects to reach substantial completion in 2027.
Once construction work gets into full swing, the project is expected to employ a peak workforce of 650 people.
In addition to work on the actual LNG plant near Squamish, FortisBC, which will supply the plant with natural gas, needs to build a new connector pipeline. The 47-kilometre Eagle Mountain-Woodfibre Gas Pipeline will run from Coquitlam to Squamish. FortisBC expects construction to start on that project in 2023.
The project has the support of the Squamish First Nation, which has an impacts benefits agreement with Woodfibre LNG.
Read more from Business in Vancouver: ow.ly/hPxW50IKmVw
And the official announcement: http://ow.ly/C3bb50ILfU7
Open letter to Hollywood actors
There was strong and positive welcome on social media to a posting from our friends at Resource Works, an open letter to Hollywood stars who spread misinformed propaganda opposing the Coastal GasLink pipeline.
The letter was pointed but polite. Calling on the stars to respect Indigenous economic aspirations, it said: “We ask that you approach this issue with sensitivity, humility and respect for Indigenous aspirations.”
Some of its points were taken from our own Alliance articles, such as this: “One in four Indigenous Canadians live in poverty, and two in five Indigenous children live in poverty. . . . In general, Indigenous communities in Canada face a lower quality of life in all aspects, including health, housing, income, mental health, suicide rates and incarceration rates.”
The open letter included Wet’suwet’en hereditary chief Wi’hali’yte (Theresa Tait-Day, pictured above) on why 87% of the Wet’suwet’en Nation’s people support the pipeline.
The letter: http://ow.ly/OKoz50IFX3V
It was shared more than 100 times from the Resource Works Facebook page (and 14 times from our own page).
It all recalls the guest column in National Post from our Alliance chair, Chief Councillor Crystal Smith of the Haisla Nation: “If Mark Ruffalo cared about First Nations like mine, he’d defend natural gas projects.” http://ow.ly/vW7b50IyYxA
- Also a hit on social media, this story from Business in Vancouver on the Haisla Nation’s Cedar LNG project: http://ow.ly/oZ9T50IFXky
- And Cedar LNG seeks a four-year extension to build export terminal: http://ow.ly/AQ5k50IEjOr
- TONIGHT: The window for public comment on the Cedar LNG project, set by the BC Environmental Assessment Office, closes tonight at midnight PDT: http://ow.ly/8gls50IE6Ch
ALSO IN THE NEWS
- Squamish Nation approves changes to Eagle Mountain pipeline project that will feed Woodfibre LNG: http://ow.ly/7f6q50ICZth
- Royal Bank CEO Dave McKay defends funding the Coastal GasLink pipeline: http://ow.ly/XImO50IF0y0
- Construction of Coastal GasLink’s Wilde Lake Compressor & Meter Station is almost 75% complete: http://ow.ly/y1Uv50IyJkY
- Quebec LNG backers hope European demand can revive project: http://ow.ly/tNPQ50IFGRQ
- Brian Lee Crowley: Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples is inseparable from resource development: http://ow.ly/pbsS50Iyhqj
DATES
- The two-day hybrid (in-person and online) conference of the First Nations Major Projects Coalition is set for April 25-26. You can register here (free for Indigenous communities): http://ow.ly/5OoP50GKXKA
- The Indigenous Partnerships Success Showcase hosted by the Resource Works Society runs May 26-27, in-person and online. Free online registration for First Nations people. Learn more: https://www.indigenoussuccess.ca/
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(Posted here 14 April 2022 and updated 17 April 2022)
