B.C. Greenlights FortisBC LNG Expansion, Paves Way for $2-Billion Investment

The British Columbia government has exempted FortisBC from obtaining a permit to expand its liquefied natural gas plant in Metro Vancouver, allowing a $2-billion investment to move ahead. The expansion of the Tilbury LNG facility in Delta, B.C., is expected to create 1,100 jobs during construction and generate $260 million in tax revenues.

Energy Minister Adrian Dix says the government has issued an order-in-council that will exempt FortisBC from getting a permit, requiring the company to show that the proposed expansion protects the public interest. Normally, developers need to obtain a certificate of public convenience and necessity from the B.C. Utilities Commission before starting or expanding a public utility plant or system.

Dix says skipping that step will save time and allow the expansion to proceed, clearing the way for investments in decarbonizing domestic and global shipping. The Tilbury site has been in operation since 1971 as a natural gas storage facility but is now producing LNG for vessels and working with the Vancouver Port authority to develop a marine refuelling service.

According to the government, speeding up the approval process provides greater regulatory certainty and optimizes the overall investment by FortisBC. The project will remain subject to all other applicable regulatory approvals and permitting requirements before construction, which could start by the middle of next year with operation starting as early as 2031.