LNG in BC has been making headlines lately.
One of the latest was when BC Premier John Horgan addressed the Union of BC Municipalities convention at Whistler on Sept. 14.
As Vaughn Palmer of The Vancouver Sun reported, Horgan told delegates: “We are now very, very close to realizing a final investment decision from LNG Canada. It will transform Kitimat, most assuredly, but will provide certainty and sustainability for our gas sector, from wellhead to water line.”
Then, in a post-speech chat with reporters, the premier said the FID could come in the next couple of weeks. LNG Canada had no comment.
The day before that, there was good news for LNG Canada — and for First Nations — when Trans Canada Corporation announced that its Coastal Gaslink Pipeline Project had signed community and project agreements with all 20 of the elected Indigenous councils along its pipeline route in British Columbia. The pipeline will feed natural gas to LNG Canada’s Kitimat plant.
That announcement put our Alliance CEO, Karen Ogen-Toews, in the news as well.
The Alliance sent out a news release in which she said: “For members of the 20 Nations, it means opportunities for long-lasting careers, not just short-term jobs. For the communities and councils, it means a stable and long-term source of revenues that will help them work on closing the social-economic gap that keeps Indigenous people so far behind others in Canada. We are seeing real opportunity here, and real support for the 20 Nations. . . .
“Today’s announcement by TransCanada and Coast GasLink shows how Indigenous people and councils and companies are fully ready to work with firms that respect and accommodate Indigenous needs and governance, and work with First Nations to deal with potential environmental issues.”
And she was quoted in quoted in the Surrey Now-Leader, the Alaska Highway News, the Victoria News, the Terrace Standard, the Interior News (Smithers), and the 100 Mile Free Press. She also was interviewed by CFTK-TV, Terrace.
As well, Alliance board member Crystal Smith, the Haisla Nation’s chief councillor, was quoted in The Vancouver Sun and The Province.
And on top of that, Karen was quoted in a Troy Media feature from the Frontier Centre for Public Policy, on another topic The headline: “How to get First Nations onside with resource-related projects.”
SUPPORTING LNG
In an open letter on our website, the Alliance came out in support of the position of 14 northern BC mayors who have publicly expressed concern about a jurisdictional challenge affecting TransCanada’s $4.7-billion Coastal GasLink pipeline.
“The implications and timing of the challenge are really unfortunate,” said Karen Ogen-Toews. “The joint-venture partners in the $40-billion LNG Canada project are soon to make a Final Investment Decision. A challenge to the pipeline that would supply the project with natural gas is clearly of great concern.
“The 20 First Nations along the pipeline route have all approved the pipeline, and have agreements with Coastal GasLink. These are vital to the economic and social and employment future of these communities and their people. The jurisdictional challenge could mean further and unnecessary delay. These projects need to go ahead.”
NEW INFOGRAPHICS
Thanks to artist and friend Dean Broughton, the Alliance has posted three new infographics underlining the support from First Nations for responsible LNG development. Here below is a clipping from the first. You’ll find the full infographic, and the other two on our website.
We also posted them on our Facebook and Twitter channels, and the BC LNG Alliance shared them on its Facebook page, too.
CAMPAIGN FOR LNG
The BC LNG Alliance has launched an I❤BCLNG campaign that is gathering public support for LNG development. You’ll find it here. Can we get more First Nations names and faces on there? Will you add your voice?
ALSO IN THE NEWS
- BC LNG Alliance congratulates the 20 band councils
- Worldwide shortage of LNG forecast
- Could the US be creating an opportunity for BC LNG?
