Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Thursday that two major British Columbia infrastructure projects have been added to the federal government's major projects list, positioning them for accelerated approval processes through Ottawa's Major Projects Office.
Major Projects Designation
The Ksi Lisims LNG facility and the North Coast power transmission line received the significant designation that could fast-track their development timelines. This move aligns with Premier David Eby's vision to establish British Columbia as Canada's primary economic driver, alongside existing projects like LNG Canada and multiple critical mineral mines.
Both projects join other significant BC developments on Carney's list, including LNG Canada Phase 2 and the Red Chris Mine expansion, highlighting the province's growing importance in national economic planning.
Project Details and Investment
Ksi Lisims represents a collaborative effort between the Nisga'a Nation, Rockies LNG, and U.S.-based Western LNG, with completion targeted for 2028. The facility boasts impressive capacity, potentially shipping up to 12 million tonnes annually of liquefied natural gas to Asian markets.
Combined with the proposed Prince Rupert gas pipeline, these projects represent approximately $20 billion in private investment for Canada's economy, signaling substantial economic stimulus for the region.
Legal Challenges and Environmental Concerns
Despite receiving provincial approvals this fall, the Ksi Lisims project faces legal hurdles from First Nations communities concerned about environmental impacts and territorial crossings. The Lax Kw'alaams and Metlakatla First Nations have initiated Federal Court challenges against the LNG terminal, while Gitanyow has launched proceedings against the associated pipeline.
The North Coast transmission line project aims to provide clean electricity through BC Hydro to LNG facilities, critical mineral mines, and infrastructure upgrades including the Port of Prince Rupert expansion. The first two phases carry an estimated $6 billion price tag, with Carney announcing that the Canada Infrastructure Bank will provide a $140 million loan to BC Hydro to support the initiative.
Accelerated Timeline and Economic Impact
Legislation introduced in October enables First Nations equity participation in the project, while the province plans to direct the BC Utilities Commission to bypass standard hearing processes. This strategic move could potentially reduce the project timeline by 12 to 18 months.
The project has already been exempted from normal environmental review procedures through the controversial Bill 14 passed last spring, which also applied similar exemptions to new wind power projects.
Construction is scheduled to commence next year with completion expected by 2034. Premier Eby emphasized the project's substantial economic benefits, projecting approximately 10,000 new jobs and a $10 billion boost to provincial GDP by facilitating projects like the Red Chris Mine expansion and Cedar LNG.
The federal announcement also included other national projects such as the Sisson Mine in New Brunswick and the Crawford Nickel project in Ontario, demonstrating comprehensive economic development planning across multiple provinces.
