The British Columbia government has quietly eased emission rules for liquefied natural gas projects – prompting pushback from environmental groups.
The move comes amid renewed interest in resource extraction from various levels of government during a challenging economic period.
Depending on who you talk to, LNG projects represent a major economic opportunity for the province, or a significant environmental step backward.
Two weeks ago, the province discreetly posted a letter on a government website outlining a tempering of emissions requirements for those projects.
The lack of a news release or broader public announcement from the NDP government is prompting concern from some groups, including environmental law charity Ecojustice.
“In my opinion, it’s a signal from the B.C. government that they’re trying to maintain their self-branding as a climate leader, while moving forward with a very anti-climate industry,” said Sarah Korpan, a campaign manager with the group.
The change, which the province insists is a clarification, means that project proponents will be able to use other sources of power when grid electricity isn’t available – and in many locations, that will mean using LNG as a power source.
“I think that this is a perfectly practical and beneficial climate policy to have, because it will get lower emission fuels to places in the world that are desperate for them,” said Stewart Muir with Resource Works, a non-profit that advocates for the resource extraction industry. “They’ve come practically begging to Canada and we’ve been saying no to them for too long.”
Muir insists when B.C. fails to approve projects, it doesn’t stop the construction of LNG terminals – they simply get built elsewhere. He also cites the employment benefits for the projects, especially in parts of the province where there are fewer work opportunities for local populations, including Indigenous communities.
With the Canadian economy facing major headwinds amid a trade war with the U.S., the B.C. government and the frontrunners in the federal election have pledged to ease regulatory requirements for resource projects.
“We will move for projects of national interest to remove duplication in terms of environmental assessments and other approvals, and we will follow, as the federal government, the principle of one project, one approval,” said Liberal Leader Mark Carney earlier this week.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also commented on the issue this week, stating that if the country fails to make major changes to the approval process for resource projects, Canada will “stay dependent on the Americans.”
B.C. Energy and Climate Solutions Minister Adrian Dix was not made available for an interview Friday, but sent a statement that read, in part, “I want to make it clear that this is a clarification of existing policy, not a change. Net-zero by 2030 remains the standard for LNG facilities, but we recognize that access to clean electricity will take time.”
“LNG projects must still achieve net zero emissions by 2030, but if grid electricity is not reasonably available by that date, proponents will not be penalized for factors beyond their control. Proponents must still reduce all other emissions unrelated to electricity (e.g., flaring, heating, and transport) and demonstrate concrete steps to secure grid power,” Dix said.
The minister pointed to the province’s investments in clean electricity expansion, including projects like the Site C Dam and the North Coast Transmission Line, but noted they will take time to come online.
