Hi Eric,

Thanks for your question. If our proposed, small-scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility is approved, FortisBC would transport the natural gas we purchase from producers in northern B.C. to the Woodfibre site via its Vancouver Island natural gas existing transmission system.

It’s the same system that delivers natural gas to homes and businesses in Squamish, Whistler, the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island and has safely operated since 1990.

To deliver the amount of natural gas we need, FortisBC must expand a section of its Vancouver Island system. That project is called the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre LNG Gas Pipeline Project and it’s undergoing a full environmental assessment by the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office and the Squamish First Nation.

We forwarded your question to FortisBC and here’s what they had to say:

As a regulated utility in B.C., FortisBC has a duty to investigate new customer connections – whether it’s a new housing development, small business or a large industrial customer like Woodfibre LNG. The proposed Eagle Mountain expansion project is being proposed to provide the natural gas service that Woodfibre LNG has requested; it’s not associated with any other proposed LNG project on the south coast or northern B.C.

If the project is approved, we would add about 47 kilometres of new pipe beginning in northern Coquitlam and ending at the existing Woodfibre industrial site southwest of Squamish. The most environmentally sound way to build a new section of pipeline is to generally follow the path of the existing one, which is what we’re proposing. We will also need to make upgrades to our Eagle Mountain compressor station in Coquitlam and build a new compressor station in or near Squamish.

FortisBC is consulting with the public, local communities, and other stakeholders and rights holders as part of the BC EAO environmental review process. We’re also participating in the Squamish Nation’s independent environmental review process.

Benefits to FortisBC customers

Existing and future FortisBC natural gas customers will benefit from the expansion project, if it’s approved and built.
New large industrial customers like Woodfibre LNG are required to pay a rate tariff that both covers the cost of infrastructure upgrades and provides additional financial benefits to help lower natural gas delivery rates for all our existing customers.

In addition, we will also have long-term “take or pay” contracts in place with these new large industrial customers that will provide security to mitigate risks to our existing customers.

If you’d like more information about FortisBC’s expansion project, there are several ways you can get in touch:

Thanks Eric.