Next step for Ksi Lisims LNG, and more news

Our newsletter: 26 October 2023

Step forward for Ksi Lisims LNG

The Nisga’a Nation’s Ksi Lisims LNG project in northern BC has applied for a BC government environmental certificate, thus entering a six-month period of  evaluation and consultation, with more to follow.

And Ksi Lisim’s application included news that the project is looking to TC Energy to provide the project with natural gas, by way of a change in TC Energy’s plans for the long-proposed Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline.

That line was originally intended to feed gas to the planned Pacific NorthWest LNG plant near Prince Rupert, but the PNWLNG project was dropped by its proponents, led by Malaysia’s Petronas, in 2017. They cited economics. Petronas still holds a 25% interest in the LNG Canada project at Kitimat.

The Ksi Lisims project will have the lowest GHG emissions intensity of any LNG export facility in the world and plans to be net-zero by 2030.

“Once operational, Ksi Lisims LNG will produce 12 million tonnes of LNG per year. It is expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, and provide substantial financial benefits to the Nisga’a Nation, and to Indigenous nations across BC’s northwest.”

It will be a lynchpin of the First Nations Climate Initiative plan, and Nisga’a Nation President Eva Clayton says it will be “a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our people to build prosperity and economic independence.”

The BC Environmental Assessment Office will hold a public comment period starting Wednesday, Nov. 1, on the Ksi Lisims project. Open houses are set for Prince Rupert & Terrace. Learn more and find out how to comment here: https://ow.ly/qhla50Q0pvU

• Next-step story: https://ow.ly/LwYZ50PZrVQ
• Ksi Lisims news release: https://ow.ly/v5xs50PZu6Y
• Ksi Lisims and TC Energy: See Pages 1-23 and 1-24 at https://ow.ly/P2Lb50PZqlT
• Ksi Lisims overview: https://ow.ly/sTSV50PZrWI

Meanwhile, Fortis BC contractors have begun transporting steel pipe to Squamish for the Woodfibre LNG project: https://ow.ly/cQlI50PXXb9

Including oil, gas in federal loan program

Indigenous groups, among them our Alliance, are asking Ottawa to include oil and gas in a loan-guarantee program to help Indigenous Peoples buy equity in resource projects.

The feds are considering a loan plan, but are wrestling with whether fossil fuel projects should be eligible, and if so, under what terms.

In a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau, four Indigenous groups argue that barring oil and gas projects from the loan-guarantee plan would “exclude Indigenous peoples from stable, prosperity-delivering investments — in some cases, their only local opportunities.”

“This program cannot be driven by an ‘Ottawa-knows-best’ policy approach — the judgment of Indigenous Nations about projects to pursue must be respected.”

• The letter: https://ow.ly/IL5c50Q0yJN
• Story in Financial Post: https://ow.ly/hscN50Q0kGR

Countries turn to more coal for power

The global energy crisis has seen a surge in demand for coal plants, particularly in growing economies such as China and India.

Responsibly produced Canadian LNG can help lower emissions by replacing coal.

• Learn more: https://bit.ly/3QfF7BE

Meanwhile, three new reports say the world needs more LNG, and that the world must do something to supply it.

To reduce global emissions, the world needs more LNG.

• Wood Mackenzie report: https://ow.ly/9aUl50PY6ZV

Investments in world natural gas and LNG are “urgently needed,” along with renewables. It’s from The International Gas Union, Snam,  and Rystad Energy.

• Global Gas Report 2023: http://ow.ly/kUCm50PYBsu

The Institute of Energy Economics, Japan, says around $7 trillion in global investments in natural-gas supply are necessary to avoid supply crunches through 2050:

• Read more: https://ow.ly/tiQM50PZsvn

And a key Japanese trader says world LNG projects can’t keep up with demand.

• Read it here: https://ow.ly/cWop50PZsoj

Alliance leader on China mission

Our Alliance CEO, Karen Ogen, is one of the Indigenous members of a trade mission to Beijing, China, running Oct. 28 – Nov. 1.

It’s organized by the Canada China Business Council: “This Mission is designed to serve the interests of Indigenous entrepreneurs and economic development organizations who have an interest in exporting to the China market.”

On at the same time, the council’s Women in Business China Mission, for  Canadian women business leaders and/or representatives of women-led companies with a product or service to sell to China.

Indigenous clean-energy news

• Feds put more than $3.6 million into Kitselas Geothermal project in B.C. https://ow.ly/z2mu50PYhPS
• BC Hydro is working with First Nations toward more clean electrical power: https://ow.ly/R5f350PZqWn
• McLeod Lake Indian Band and BC sign MoU for proposed $7-billion energy transition hub north of Prince George: https://ow.ly/heqV50Q0I18
• Sawridge Nation’s wind farms to power Alberta oil operations: https://ow.ly/kUjw50PWO9Y
• Tahltan Nation in B.C. teams up with renewable-energy provider to rent out solar power infrastructure: https://ow.ly/m0PQ50PZ1Uo and https://ow.ly/qec550PZs8Q
• Semiahmoo Nation in BC sees win-win in proposed biofuel plant (but neighbours object): https://ow.ly/wHS450PZslX
• Indigenous-partnered power line connects Kasabonika Lake First Nation, northern Ontario: https://ow.ly/oXjw50PXoHO
• Waswanipi Nation transmission line to power Quebec gold mine: https://ow.ly/9hER50PZsji
• Cote First Nation in Saskatchewan to add solar power to new youth recreation site: https://ow.ly/bN0M50PZsbh

 ALSO IN THE NEWS

• Thank you, Supreme Court of Canada, for your decision finding Ottawa’s Impact Assessment Act is partly unconstitutional. https://ow.ly/wNgn50PXr3a #cdnpoli
• Court ruling on Impact Assessment Act could be a ‘game-changer’ for energy development, says the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers: https://ow.ly/wnPY50PYz0E
• Supreme Court opinion doesn’t change feds’ plans to cap oil and gas emissions: https://ow.ly/BpFH50PYlh8
• Canada Energy Regulator recommends cabinet approval of two natural gas liquids pipelines from BC to Alberta, with 49 conditions: https://ow.ly/gQPi50PYMUs
• Canada is “uniquely positioned to be a leading exporter of LNG for decades to come,” says Enbridge CEO Greg Ebel: https://ow.ly/LcBC50PWvQV
• Fortis BC (an affiliate member of our Alliance) is recognized by the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business for advancing Indigenous relations: https://ow.ly/Eb7b50PXWQ4

DATES

November

• Metro Vancouver Zero Waste Conference, Vancouver, Nov. 1-2: https://ow.ly/aBBu50PILKN
• First Nations Energy Summit, Vancouver, Nov. 6-7: https://ow.ly/12P050PKQKK
• Webcast on Nov. 21 (from Conversations Live with Stuart McNish), with our Alliance chair, Chief Crystal Smith, among the panelists: https://ow.ly/I0GC50PYZzc

2024

• The 21st annual BC Natural Resources Forum, Prince George, Jan. 16-18: https://ow.ly/YokA50PIsAW Note: Early bird rates available until Wednesday Nov. 1.
• National Coalition of Chiefs Clean Energy Summit, Feb. 15-16, Tsuut’ina Nation, near Calgary: https://ow.ly/KRF250PTvVy
• The First Nations Major Projects Coalition’s 7th annual conference, Toronto, April 22-23: https://ow.ly/4nw750PHYCf
• The 8th Indigenous Resource Opportunities Conference, Nanaimo: April 24 – 26. https://ow.ly/f1bl50PvYnx
• The International Gas Research Conference, Banff, May 13-16. Our Alliance CEO, Karen Ogen, is on the national organizing committee. https://igrc2024.org/
• National Coalition of Chiefs Energy and Natural Resource Summit, June 9-10, Tsuut’ina Nation, near Calgary: https://ow.ly/ch9u50PTw7X?

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