Despite numerous protests liquified natural gas In British Columbia, the economic benefits are beginning to show.
A report from Resource Works said the LNG project is a key shift in the province's energy sector and shows how Canada can become a major player in the international market.
“Using Statistics Canada’s input/output model, the report shows that LNG investments provide a significant boost to the provincial and national economies, creating more GDP and jobs than any other investment project in Canada,” the report states.
“The $4.1 billion in engineering and construction investment closely associated with the LNG project has resulted in a $4.5 billion increase in GDP and created more than 35,000 jobs, demonstrating the huge economic benefits of such investment.”
The LNG Canada facility in Kitimat is expected to generate $23 billion in revenue over the life of the project.
A large portion of this will be returned to local Aboriginal people who have been actively involved in the construction of the export facility and the Coastal Gaslink pipeline.
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“I’m seeing more people getting mortgages than ever before in the history of our nation,” said Haisla Chief Crystal Smith.
“We see our members travel all over the world. It's been amazing to be a part of that and see firsthand the impact on Indigenous communities.”
Critics say LNG does more harm than good to British Columbia, adding that it is at best a bridge to a future without fossil fuels, but given energy insecurity around the world, LNG will play a critical role globally for the foreseeable future.
At one point, 20 LNG projects were proposed in British Columbia, but only two were approved, the other being Woodfibre near Squamish.
The first tanker from the Kitimat facility is expected to sail around June 2025.
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