VANCOUVER / UNCEDED xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh AND səlilwətaɬ TERRITORIES — Richmond-Steveston MLA Kelly Greene presented a petition to the B.C legislature today calling on the provincial government to reject the Tilbury marine jetty project on the Fraser River. Over the past few months, the Wilderness Committee and its allies gathered around 400 signatures from Richmond residents against the expansion of an existing liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage facility —  across the river in Delta —  into a major export and refueling hub.

“Richmond is across the water from Tilbury LNG and it poses serious health and safety risks to its residents,” said Climate Campaigner Peter McCartney. “Nobody we talked to wants to see more damage to the Fraser River and more climate pollution driving extreme weather events.”

Provincial cabinet ministers could make a decision on the marine jetty, the in-river portion of the expansion that would load tankers and barges with supercooled gas, at any time. FortisBC split plans for its Tilbury plant into two projects and the on-land portion is still working its way through the environmental assessment process. Upon completion, Tilbury LNG would export 3.5 million tonnes of LNG per year. 

“While the City of Richmond has long opposed the Tilbury LNG expansion, growing opposition among its residents should give the provincial government the push it needs to reject the project,” said McCartney. “Hopefully they will listen to the hundreds of people who are calling on them through their local representatives to protect the Fraser River and the global climate.”

Fracking for gas is already B.C.’s most polluting industry and greenhouse gas emissions would skyrocket if all proposed LNG plants are built. Tilbury LNG would be a similar size as Cedar LNG, which the provincial government approved last year. Research from the International Energy Agency and the UN Environment Programme shows gas production and consumption must decline significantly this decade to keep the commitment to limit global heating to safe levels within reach.

“Deadly and costly climate disasters only get worse until we stop burning fossil fuels,” said McCartney. “Building new liquefied natural gas plants like Tilbury LNG only delays that necessary action for decades to come.”

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Photo of petition delivery in Steveston

For more information please contact:

Peter McCartney | Climate Campaigner

778-239-1935, peter@wildernesscommittee.org