VANCOUVER / UNCEDED xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh AND səlilwətaɬ TERRITORIES — In a Reuters report today, Jason Klein, the CEO of LNG Canada said his company would not build phase two with electric motors as previously planned. If expanded with fracked gas turbines, it would reverse any work the provincial government has done or is doing to reduce climate pollution. 

“We know the government’s CleanBC climate plan is already dangerously off track, but if LNG Canada’s expansion moves forward with fracked gas turbines it would be completely derailed — a pile of smoking rubble at the bottom of a ravine,” said Climate Campaigner Peter McCartney. “Premier David Eby has promised to meet B.C.’s climate goals. It’s clear he must prevent LNG Canada’s expansion to do that.”

B.C.’s climate plan shows the province is already forecast to miss its 2025 target by a substantial margin. It has not factored the second phase of LNG Canada into its plans, although the expansion would double the climate pollution of the facility, which would already be the most polluting project in the province when it begins operations. 

Klein claims his company would switch to renewable energy when it becomes available — at an undetermined point in the future. Running the expansion with renewable electricity would limit (but not eliminate) emissions, but it would require BC Hydro to build a new transmission line at public expense.

“Shell and its partners are effectively holding the province’s climate plan hostage,” said McCartney. “They demand the public, as ratepayers of BC Hydro, build them a brand new transmission line and then sell them clean power at a loss, otherwise they will undo all our efforts to reduce climate pollution.”

LNG Canada is currently in talks with the provincial government about its expansion and appears to be negotiating through the media. While it has all the permits it needs to expand the facility, Klein notes it could not move forward without support from the provincial government.

“All Premier Eby and the BC NDP have to do to prevent this project from blowing up their own climate plan is to abandon their government’s support for liquefied natural gas,” said McCartney. “Show the world and the public they’re serious about meeting B.C.’s climate goals. Tell Shell and its partners to take a hike.”

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For more information, please contact:

Peter McCartney | Climate Campaigner
778-239-1935, peter@wildernesscommittee.org