BC will fast-track multiple resource projects amid Trump tariff threats
The BC government plans to fast-track a number of critical energy and resource projects as US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats linger.
The Premier’s Office provided Daily Hive with a list of 18 projects that it says will be expedited to support jobs in the province and will ultimately bring in investments from around the world.
It includes the Eskay Creek Gold/Silver project and Highland Valley Copper Expansion, highlighted as critical minerals projects.
The Cedar LNG in Kitimat, NEBC Connector in Fort St. John, and Enbridge T-North are noted as expedited energy security endeavours.
The list also details several BC Hydro clean energy projects.
“Together, the projects are estimated to be worth approximately $20 billion and will employ approximately 8,000 people across the province,” stated the Premier’s Office.
It added that these initiatives already have business cases developed but still “need some type of permit or approval from government.”
On Monday, Premier David Eby said the province would be strengthening its domestic economy and diversifying its markets to respond to the US tariff threat, which would charge 25% on most Canadian products imported into the US, except for energy, which will be subject to a 10% tariff.
Eby made an emergency address over the weekend, saying that BC would take retaliatory measures against the threats by pulling US liquor from red states from liquor store shelves.
Trump’s tariffs against Canada were supposed to come into effect on Tuesday. However, on Monday, after a phone call with Trump, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the proposed tariffs would be postponed for at least 30 days.
Eby confirmed Monday that US liquor would return to BC stores for now.
“We will pause our response, recognizing that there is an opportunity here to potentially avoid these tariffs and hoping in good faith that that is the path that this ultimately takes,” said Eby at a news conference on February 4.
If the US still chooses to impose the tariffs, Ottawa plans to respond with 25% tariffs on $155 billion worth of US goods.
With files from Isabelle Docto