A proposal to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility on land held by the Tsawwassen First Nation has been axed by its band members in a vote.
Last month, band leadership called upon its 290 members to vote on the project, which would have provided a new revenue stream for the band. A total of 139 people voted, with 53 per cent opposing the project and 46 percent supporting.
The LNG plant would have occupied an 80 acre coastal site northeast of the B.C. Ferries terminal. It would have the capacity to produce three to five million tonnes of LNG per year, which would be stored in three large tanks until the product is ready to be loaded onto LNG carriers for export at a new marine terminal at Roberts Bank’s deep water port.
Proponents anticipated five to six visits from LNG carriers per month. A 10-kilometre pipeline would have been built to establish a link to the Fortis B.C. natural gas supply.
“The concept calls for the facility to minimize impacts by utilizing land designated for industrial use, upgrading existing natural gas infrastructure, and powering the facility with electricity,” reads the announcement. “Every step will be done in a manner which is consistent with TFN’s values and environmental interests.”
The proposed site remains zoned for industrial uses. The LNG project was slated to create up to 1,000 construction jobs and 50 to 100 full-time jobs upon opening in 2022.
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