New federal regulations allow BC’s Kitimat LNG to proceed

VANCOUVER—A liquefied natural gas facility on the British Columbia coast near Prince Rupert will proceed thanks to regulations introduced by the federal government.

Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development John Duncan announced the new regulations that will see the LNG facility built on the Haisla First Nation’s Bees Indian Reserve No. 6.

“Our government continues to take steps that will contribute to job creation, economic growth and Canada’s long-term prosperity,” Duncan said in a statement about the regulations.

“The Kitimat LNG facility will create well-paying jobs in British Columbia, while giving Canadian energy producers access to important overseas markets. I applaud the Haisla First Nation for (its) vision, leadership and commitment to seizing this opportunity for their community.”

The regulations were created under the First Nations Commercial and Industrial Development Act (FNCIDA).

According to the ministry of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, FNCIDA was a First Nations-led initiative that allows government to work with First Nations and provincial regulatory authorities to create regulations for complex commercial and industrial development projects on reserve.

In addition to the Haisla Natural Gas Facility Regulations, the federal and B.C. governments and Haisla Nation have also signed a tripartite agreement that ensures administrative, monitoring and compliance activities for the LNG facility are performed and enforced by provincial officials.

“Kitimat LNG offers new, important and sustainable economic opportunities which the Haisla people are eager to embrace,” Haisla Chief Councillor Ellis Ross said.

“We have seen new jobs, business opportunities, and skills training come to our people since KM LNG signed its agreement with us, and we know that the agreement signed today with Canada and B.C. is a milestone in making the project a reality.”

Key private partners for the project are Apache Canada Ltd. and Chevron Canada Ltd. operating as Kitimat LNG.

The Kitimat LNG facility is being constructed on Haisla Nation reserve land at Bish Cove, approximately 650 kilometres north of Vancouver.

The proposed two-train Kitimat LNG Project, currently progressing through the Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) phase, has a Canadian National Energy Board license to export 10-million tonnes per annum of LNG.