Our newsletter of 04 July 2024
First Nations LNG projects on the move
The biggest news: the announcement on June 25 that the Cedar LNG project, majority-owned by the Haisla Nation, will go ahead, with a target time of late 2028 for starting operations and exports.
Crystal Smith, elected chief councillor of the Haisla: “With Cedar LNG, we have proven that Indigenous communities can successfully forge a path to economic independence and generational prosperity.”
CEO Scott Burrows of Pembina Pipeline: “This is a historic moment, and we are proud to be moving forward with a project that will deliver industry-leading, low-carbon, cost-competitive Canadian LNG to overseas markets and contribute to global energy security, while delivering jobs and economic prosperity to the local region.”
At the same time, the Nisga’a Nation is getting set for construction to start August 24 on the rerouted PRGT pipeline that will feed natural gas to the nation’s planned Ksi Lisims LNG plant.
The Nisga’a Nation has held initial community information sessions about employment on the Ksi Lisims project and the pipeline.
- Heather Exner-Pirot of the Business Council of Canada speaks on the Cedar LNG proiect, Asian demand for its LNG, and how the Haisla Nation negotiated access to natural gas 10 years before greenlighting the project. Listen to the CBC recording with host Gloria Macarenko: https://ow.ly/yZVJ50SuvHe
- Our Alliance CEO, Karen Ogen, congratulated the Haisla Nation and partner Pembina Pipeline on their green light for Cedar LNG: https://ow.ly/rEfp50SpFY9
- More news on both projects: https://ow.ly/ErIq50SsQhf
- Cedar LNG website: https://www.cedarlng.com/
- Ksi Lisims LNG website: https://www.ksilisimslng.com/
Woodfibre LNG floatel moored at site
Though Squamish council refused a municipal permit, the B.C. government’s Environmental Assessment Office ordered Woodfibre LNG’s floating work camp to move to its government-approved site in Howe Sound.
It did, then began taking in non-local workers, many of whom had been housed at an old (and somewhat decrepit) pulp-mill work camp.
Woodfibre LNG pointed out that the floatel has “652 renovated guest rooms, private ensuites, and top-notch amenities.”
It added: “Woodfibre LNG’s floatel offers a modern, comfortable living experience for our construction workforce, along with firm restrictions on access to the community — meaning workers have no impact on community infrastructure and services.”
And: “Woodfibre LNG pays . . . the cost of catering, housekeeping, and other services on board, as part of its commitment to ensure the project has as little impact on Squamish as possible.”
- About the floatel: https://ow.ly/9bKO50SsSgx
Will UNDRIP be another broken promise?
While our newsletter naturally focuses on LNG news, we also keep an eye on some key matters affecting First Nations Peoples, such as federal and provincial adoption of UNDRIP and its principles.
So we note this from Ken Coates at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute: “Unless a new approach is adopted, UNDRIP could turn out to be the latest in a long line of broken promises to Indigenous peoples.”
- Read it here: https://ow.ly/JSw750SnS4Q
The new chair of Parliament’s Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee, Liberal MP Patrick Weiler of B.C., says he’s ready to hit the ground running: https://ow.ly/rx0I50SnUiN
And Ottawa issues its third annual progress report on the implementation of UNDRIP: https://ow.ly/6hiI50Soef4
Indigenous clean-energy news
- Enbridge, First Nations and Métis partners to advance a 200-megawatt wind energy project in Saskatchewan: https://ow.ly/16Y450Soips (Photo above) See also: https://ow.ly/gBXa50Sokvp and https://ow.ly/E4MJ50Sp98R
- Indigenous-led Salish Elements and the Xaxli’p Nation in B.C. work towards a green hydrogen production facility: https://ow.ly/XRps50SpAfn APTN video: https://ow.ly/JAJl50SpAfo
- 13 Nova Scotia First Nations borrow through the Canada Infrastructure Bank to get equity in a major energy-storage project: https://ow.ly/8jpi50SmSEM (Photo above)
- Regulator OKs Nova Scotia Power’s $354-million battery project, which has some financing from Mi’kmaw-owned Wskijnu’k Mtmo’taqnuow Agency: https://ow.ly/1G1750Sq9yf
- Otipemisiwak Métis government in Alberta mark the opening of the Salay Prayzaan Solar Farm: https://ow.ly/2bCx50Sqv13
- EverWind Fuels and its First Nations partners in Nova Scotia celebrate Canada’s clean hydrogen legislation: https://ow.ly/nyVA50Sq63L
- Remote Ontario nation now gets power from Indigenous-led Wataynikaneyap Power: https://ow.ly/jNq150Sop5p
- B.C. promises First Nations Peoples will be involved as its new clean-energy strategy moves forward: https://ow.ly/ljxA50Srfrz
- Want more clean-energy projects? ‘The key is Indigenous ownership.’ https://ow.ly/3YZm50Ss965
- SaskPower, First Nations Power Authority Sign solar procurement agreement: https://ow.ly/Hw5N50Su3cw
ALSO IN THE NEWS
- Woodfibre LNG partners with the Squamish Nation to offer training for Squamish members to become process operators at the plant: https://ow.ly/CSnV50SpZnH
- Woodfibre LNG took its name from the old Woodfibre pulp mill site. But for centuries before the mill was built, the site was known as Swiy̓át, a village of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation). Learn more: https://ow.ly/ybfb50SsJMG
- With a new bunkering vessel, Seaspan will become the first company to provide LNG bunkering (ship fuelling) in our region: https://ow.ly/HOUC50SsMAA
- Canadian natural-gas production hit a record high in 2023, and industrial gas use continues to increase: https://ow.ly/XVzq50SqgFf
- Global LNG trade grew by 2.1% in 2023, with 20 exporting markets and 51 importing markets: https://ow.ly/yeCr50Sq0Fe
EVENTS
- Forward Summit East, Sept. 25-26, Orillia ON: https://ow.ly/i65h50QnWYR
- Nation2Nation’s 8th annual forum, Oct. 8-10, Terrace BC: https://ow.ly/omzI50RAgBT
- Canadian Gas Association’s Energy Nexus and Technical Conference, Oct. 8-10, Toronto: https://ow.ly/HrKx50SbcZx
- Forward Summit West Coast, Oct. 22-23, Vancouver: https://ow.ly/4UQe50R3CY2
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