LNG Canada confirmed its liquified natural gas export facility is on schedule to commence commercial operations by mid-2025. This milestone is anticipated as the first phase of the project approaches completion, with commissioning and start-up activities expected to begin shortly.
Jason Klein, CEO of LNG Canada, highlighted the significance of this development on the company’s website, marking it as a pivotal moment for the industry. “As the first LNG carrier sails from the facility and down the Douglas Channel … it will be a watershed moment,” he said.
Klein used the opportunity to highlight the project’s economic benefits, employing over 30,000 Canadians throughout its construction, and nearly 9,000 at the Kitimat site as of January this year. Furthermore, he said, LNG Canada’s investment in local, Indigenous, and British Columbia businesses has exceeded $4.7 billion, with contracts and subcontracts amounting to more than $3.8 billion directed towards Indigenous-owned and local area businesses—substantial figures that are a testament to LNG Canada’s commitment to fulfilling its promises to governments and stakeholders.
Meanwhile, HaiSea Marine announced on March 13 the floating facility that will service the project is now complete and awaiting transport to the Kitimat site. The company is a joint venture between the Haisla Nation and Seaspan of North Vancouver, operating on a $500-million contract to provide harbour and escort tugboat services using a fleet of battery-powered and low emission vessels.
LNG Canada’s focus on Indigenous reconciliation and environmental stewardship has been a touchstone of the project since its approval.
The company asserts that the facility will set new standards in environmental responsibility for the industry, boasting emissions 35 per cent lower than the best-performing large-scale LNG export facilities worldwide and 60 per cent below the global weighted average. This initiative underscores the project’s commitment to reducing carbon intensity and addressing climate change.
Additionally, a 2023 provincial estimate projects that LNG Canada will generate $23 billion in new government revenues over its lifetime.