Canada Aims to Become Global LNG Leader with Ambitious 100m Tonne Target

Canadian Energy Minister Tim Hodgson has made bold claims about the country's potential for liquefied natural gas (LNG) production. At a recent news conference, he declared that Canada could become one of the largest suppliers of LNG in the world, producing as much as 100 million tonnes per annum by 2030.

Hodgson's target is significantly higher than Prime Minister Mark Carney's previous estimate of 50 million tonnes per year. The current and planned LNG projects in Canada have a production capacity of 34.8 million tonnes per year, but even if expansion plans proceed, they would still fall short of Hodgson's figure.

The missing 65.2 million tonnes of annual production capacity would need to come from new projects or expansions. However, the regulatory approval process for these projects has been slow, and some have been blocked altogether. The Major Projects Office (MPO) was launched in August 2025 with a promise to streamline approvals, but it has yet to make any announcements about LNG projects.