Newsletter: Canada’s second chance on LNG, and more . . .

Our newsletter: 01 February 2024

Second chance on LNG exports?

The U.S. pause on LNG projects offers Canada a ‘second chance’ to be a global LNG player, says Enbridge CEO Greg Ebel.

‘It’s not very often that you get a second chance on an opportunity,” he told The Calgary Herald. “And I think this may perhaps bode extremely well for that second chance, from a policy and support perspective in Canada — if we take advantage of it.

“The second chance is to play a bigger role in energy transition beyond our borders. We have the skill set, we have the resources. Do we have the will to play a bigger role in other parts of the world?”

Federal Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson also saw some opportunity — with conditions. “But it’s on the basis of Canada offering the lowest carbon intensity natural gas in the world, and ensuring we’re linking it to the displacement of heavier hydrocarbons like coal.”

At the same time, The Globe and Mail quoted our Alliance CEO, Karen Ogen: “B.C.’s natural gas travels nearly 5,000 kilometres across North America to get to export facilities on the Gulf Coast. It’s a ludicrously indirect route that sends our natural gas south of the border. Canadians could be exporting our own natural gas at a fraction of the distance.”

And she said: “Canadians – and in particular, Indigenous Canadians – should be the ones to receive the rewards of training, jobs and business opportunities that come with a thriving LNG industry. . . . This isn’t just about building big projects, it’s about lifting our Indigenous communities out of poverty.’

Karen will also address talk about Indigenous opportunities — and transforming Indigenous equity partnerships — when she speaks in May to the International Gas Research Conference at Banff. And in June she’ll speak at the Indigenous Partnerships Success Showcase in Vancouver. (See Dates, below)

Cedar LNG graphic map

Indigenous LNG hits from BC

Our social media channels also drew strong interest with two items from BC:

First, our blog: How the Haisla Nation entered the LNG business, how it came to plan Cedar LNG as an Indigenous-controlled LNG project, and how it all gave goosebumps to elected chief councillor Crystal Smith.

As she says, Cedar LNG is “s the largest Indigenous-owned and Indigenous-led investment in the world — majority-owned by the Haisla.”

As the Haisla looked into opportunities over the last 10 years, “LNG came out in the lead with regards to what we would be able to bring to our community.”

And: “Prior to LNG Canada announcing their positive FID (Final Investment Decision) I often talked about the hope that we had in regards to changing individual lives, and we’ve seen that come to fruition.

“I’ve witnessed members as young as 20-25 getting their own mortgages and having their own homes within our community. I’ve witnessed members taking vacations to Mexico, Hawaii, Disneyland.

“But the most important portion of seeing a lot of the hope come to fruition is our language and our culture.” https://ow.ly/4qqH50Qve89

And second: Indigenous LNG: Reconciliation at work. How BC LNG projects create opportunities and benefits for Indigenous people and communities. https://ow.ly/Y2vh50Quwir

Join our webinar February 21

Don’t miss our free webinar on Feb. 21. Our experts look at what impact Ottawa’s cap on oil and gas emissions would have on the Canadian economy — and on First Nations.. Register via the QR code in the graphic above, or https://ow.ly/yK1150QqJWx

Women’s gathering set for Prince Rupert

Registration is open for the Nation2Nation Women’s Gathering, in Prince Rupert April 25 & 26. Early-bird prices are available until Feb. 25. Please register here: https://ow.ly/u9wi50QuveX The Alliance is proud to be a partner in this event.

Battery plant graphic

Indigenous clean-energy news

  • The Malahat Nation is in talks for a potential lithium battery assembly plant on Vancouver Island, an idea (illustrated above) that’s being described as Canada’s first Indigenous-led gigafactory: https://ow.ly/wlib50Qt7Vc
  • Saskatchewan First Nation to buy power from $200-million solar project in which it is a partner: https://ow.ly/t07U50QvcF4
  • Partnering with Indigenous communities will be important for Ontario’s clean energy target, says Ontario’s Electrification and Energy Transition Panel: https://ow.ly/fxYO50Qt81N
  • Five Mi’gmaq communities partner in the Neweg windfarm project in New Brunswick: https://ow.ly/mmQv50Qu0Kh
  • Federal list of 27 Indigenous-led natural climate-solutions projects 2023–2024: https://ow.ly/vgFI50QuRTT

 ALSO IN THE NEWS

  •  Canada’s energy industry dismayed by President Joe Biden’s move to pause approvals of new LNG export terminals in the US: https://ow.ly/qnIQ50QvbPM
  • The Canadian Gas Association to Prime Minister Trudeau: “We must maintain natural gas as an option for reliability, for affordability, and for sustainability.” https://ow.ly/YwmW50QvZSr
  • Development in the Montney Formation is the main reason why BC’s gas production more than doubled between 2010 and 2022: https://ow.ly/vq0450Qu7p0
  • Australia-based Woodside Energy hopes to help supply Ksi Lisims LNG with natural gas from the Liard Basin in BC: https://ow.ly/vsRi50QueIX
  • Canadian natural-gas exports to the US in 2022 were worth $24.6 billion. And they also helped the US economy, generating US$2.4 billion in value-added: https://ow.ly/mPWS50QuAGr
  • Woodfibre LNG’s worker ‘floatel’ gets finishing touches at North Vancouver drydock: https://ow.ly/Cgrj50QtOJW

DATES

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First Nations LNG Alliance Newsletter