Feds to contribute up to $200M for Haisla-led project to ship liquefied natural gas to Asia

CBC News

· Posted: Mar 21, 2025 2:46 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 minutes ago

The national authorities says it volition lend up to $200 cardinal to a floating liquefied earthy state export installation disconnected B.C.'s North Coast, saying it's an important portion of diversifying Canada's economy.

The task is Cedar LNG, a collaboration betwixt Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline Corp. and the Haisla First Nation, and is slated to beryllium the largest Indigenous majority-owned infrastructure task successful Canadian history, stakeholders say.

Originally valued astatine $3 billion, the national authorities present says it volition outgo an estimated $5.9 cardinal to build, creating 300 jobs during operation and 100 full-time jobs erstwhile operational.

"The request to physique a resilient system with caller export opportunities for Canadian vigor suppliers has ne'er been clearer," Jonathan Wilkinson, the national vigor and earthy resources minister, said successful a connection Friday. 

"Our planetary partners are looking for a reliable supplier of low-carbon vigor sources, and Canada volition beryllium determination to alteration communities."

Cedar LNG has besides been identified by the B.C. authorities arsenic 1 of respective projects it wants to fast-track successful bid to stave disconnected the menace imposed by U.S. tariffs.

The task consists of a floating earthy state liquefaction works and marine export terminal located successful the Douglas Channel near Kitimaat Village, a Haisla assemblage astir 380 kilometres straight westbound of Prince George, B.C.

Scheduled to beryllium successful work successful precocious 2028, it will person the capableness to liquefy astir 3.3 cardinal tonnes of earthy state per twelvemonth for export to Asian markets. 

Crystal Smith, main councillor of the Haisla Nation, said the task fits into her community's values of sustainability due to the fact that it volition person "one of the lowest c footprints successful the world."

WATCH | Chief Councillor Crystal Smith connected the Cedar LNG project: 

The works itself is meant to beryllium powered by hydroelectricity, and the earthy state volition beryllium fed successful for liquefying via an 8 kilometre-long pipeline spur connected to the main Coastal GasLink pipeline, which travels crossed British Columbia from adjacent Dawson Creek, passing done Wet'suwet'en territory and which has been taxable to wide protests and ineligible challenges.

While proponents of a Canadian LNG manufacture accidental liquefied earthy state from Canada could assistance trim planetary greenhouse state emissions by replacing ember successful countries that inactive trust connected the dirtier fuel, environmentalists argue LNG creates its ain emissions done the liquefaction and proscription process, arsenic good arsenic done the drilling and flaring of earthy gas.

They say building monolithic LNG terminals that necessitate immense upfront superior investments "locks in" aboriginal greenhouse state emissions astatine a clip erstwhile the satellite needs to beryllium readying for a lower-carbon future.