B.C. government approves continued construction of new LNG pipeline with terminus near Prince Rupert

Andrew Kurjata · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 05, 2025 5:15 PM EDT | Last Updated: June 7

The B.C. authorities has approved the continued operation of a new pipeline task that could proviso earthy state to a projected floating liquefied earthy state export terminal disconnected B.C.'s North Coast, ruling that the task had "substantially started" by a deadline of past year.

The Prince Rupert Gas Transmission task is simply a associated task betwixt the Nisga'a Nation and Texas-based Western LNG.

The astir 900-kilometre earthy state pipeline was originally proposed to tally from Hudson's Hope successful northeastern B.C. to Lelu Island, adjacent Prince Rupert, though updated applications from the proponents would spot the pipeline commencement successful Chetwynd successful bid to debar caribou habitat, arsenic good arsenic an alternate terminus constituent at Wil Milit connected Pearse Island, astir 82 kilometres northbound of the Port of Prince Rupert and person to the projected Ksi Lisims LNG export facility.

The Nisga'a Nation and Western LNG accidental the Ksi Lisims task would beryllium a floating accumulation installation susceptible of producing 12 cardinal tonnes of liquefied earthy state per year.

The construction of the associated pipeline comes arsenic determination is simply a renewed involvement successful LNG export facilities arsenic a mode to diversify Canada's vigor manufacture distant from its reliance connected the United States.

The task besides faces absorption from respective groups, including the Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs, who reason it poses a hazard to important salmon situation and volition accelerate clime change.

Project could person been forced backmost to drafting board

The pipeline was archetypal approved successful 2014 under the ownership of Calgary-based TC Energy Corp, erstwhile it was meant to proviso the now-cancelled Pacific NorthWest LNG terminal spearheaded by Malaysian vigor elephantine Petronas.

It was purchased by the Nisga'a Nation and Western LNG successful 2024 nether their revised connection for the Ksi Lisims facility.

But fixed the agelong delays, the partners besides had to beryllium they had "substantially started" operation of the pipeline by the extremity of November 2024 oregon the permits would expire and the full connection would person to commencement again from the beginning.

That operation started past year, and the exertion was submitted to B.C.'s Environmental Assessment Office connected Nov. 19, 2024 — which the bureau has present reviewed, ruling capable enactment has already been done connected the task that it would not necessitate caller approvals.

Gitanyow hereditary chiefs reason project

The operation besides faced protests led by Gitanyow hereditary chiefs, who blockaded a wood work roadworthy successful an effort to forestall operation workers from passing done their territory.

Tara Marsden, sustainability manager for the Gitanyow hereditary chiefs, has antecedently told CBC News she is disquieted the propulsion to o.k. caller projects successful the look of the economical threats emanating from the United States would sideline situation concerns.

She pointed retired that Western LNG has significant backing from Blackstone Inc., a large American plus manager whose CEO publicly endorsed Trump and contributed to his campaign — undermining immoderate conception that the task is needed to propulsion backmost against the American president.

The B.C. Green Party called the provincial government's determination "deeply irresponsible."

"British Columbians won't payment from this pipeline anyplace adjacent arsenic overmuch arsenic Wall Street and American billionaires will," said B.C. Green Interim Leader Jeremy Valeriote successful a connection issued Thursday. "In fact, connected each facet of this project, it's this province's climate, First Nations rights, waterways and onshore that endure the most."

However, Eva Clayton, president of the Nisga'a Lisims government, has characterized the task arsenic an accidental for "Indigenous radical to make a pipeline task successful our ain way," which the federation says includes an accidental for different First Nations on its way to instrumentality an ownership role.

"By moving together, and with world-leading operation managers, we're assured this task volition acceptable a caller barroom for biology extortion and permission a bequest of prosperity for Nations crossed B.C.," she said successful an August 2024 statement.

Debate implicit biology impact, economical case

Though LNG is often referred to arsenic "clean" due to the fact that burning it for substance causes less emissions than ember oregon oil, the assertion is disputed by immoderate analysts due to the fact that of the vigor and demolition it takes to produce.

LNG is made from earthy gas, a fossil substance often extracted from northeast B.C. and Alberta done a practice called hydraulic fracturing, oregon fracking. It involves drilling down into the crushed and injecting a substance of water, soil and chemicals into the crushed to unit the merchandise of the lipid and gas.

One of the known impacts of fracking is an increase successful earthquakes, which person been felt with expanding frequence successful B.C.'s Peace River portion successful caller years.

The state is past shipped via pipeline to terminals, which chill it to astir –160 C, astatine which constituent it tin beryllium shipped overseas for usage arsenic a fuel.

There has been immoderate quality astir the existent marketplace for LNG, with respective projects having been projected and abandoned implicit the years.

At the moment, the LNG Canada installation successful Kitimat, B.C., is preparing for its archetypal exports, and determination are astatine slightest 5 different projects, including Ksi Lisims, astatine assorted states of support passim the province.

The erstwhile mentation of the project, backed by Petronas, was scrapped successful 2017 due successful portion to falling LNG prices.

Ksi Lisims is inactive waiting for its last support from the B.C. government.

Its proponents accidental if it is approved successful 2025, it could beryllium online by 2029.