Federal minister approves Tilbury LNG expansion with binding conditions

The federal environment minister has issued a decision allowing the proposed Tilbury Phase 2 liquefied natural gas expansion in Delta, British Columbia, to proceed through the impact-assessment stage with legally binding conditions.

The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada said September 21 that Minister Julie Dabrusin determined the project’s potential adverse effects within federal jurisdiction are justified when weighed against its expected benefits.

FortisBC Holdings proposes to increase liquefaction and storage capacity at its existing Tilbury industrial site. The federal decision statement imposes conditions intended to mitigate effects on Indigenous Peoples, fish and fish habitat, migratory birds and federal lands. Provincial requirements also apply.

British Columbia conducted the substituted impact assessment on behalf of the federal government under a Canada–B.C. agreement. The agency said 41 Indigenous groups, represented by 21 organizations, were consulted, and that assessments led by the Tsawwassen First Nation and other Indigenous groups informed the conditions.

The decision is an impact-assessment determination. It should not be read as evidence that construction is complete or that every other permit and approval has been issued.

Illustrative image: industrial storage tanks, not the Tilbury facility. Photo by JGC Indonesia via Unsplash; resized.