Natural gas pipeline will reach from Alberta border to Kitimat, and be shipped through Douglas Channel
DENNY ISLAND BC, October 2nd, 2018 — A $40-billion liquefied natural gas project will break ground in Kitimat B.C., putting marine wildlife and whales on the BC north coast at risk. The project includes the construction of a 670-kilometre pipeline from Dawson Creek on the Alberta border into the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest. Shipping from the export plant through an unspoiled Douglas Channel to the Pacific Ocean means whales and other marine wildlife will be directly threatened from fuel spills, acoustic pollution, and ship strikes.
At 8:30 AM today, the Canadian and British Columbia Governments approved it as well.
“We are very disappointed in the lack of foresight from the B.C. NDP Government, John Horgan and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.” Says Pacific Wild Executive Director Ian McAllister. “This proposal brings many of the exact same environmental threats that the controversial Northern Gateway proposal brought to the BC north coast. Premier Horgan and Prime Minister Trudeau have pulled a bait-and-switch on the Canadian people, proving once again that our climate and environment will be sacrificed for short term jobs and environmentally destructive projects.”
TransCanada will build, own and operate the 670-km Coastal GasLink pipeline. When the second phase is approved, the project will export 26 million tons of liquefied natural gas annually.
“It appears Prime Minister Trudeau is intent on pushing through oil and gas at any cost possible,” Says McAllister. “He will ignore climate concerns. He has done a full 180-degree turn on a critical platform he was voted in on: positioning Canada as a climate leader.”
