Feds announce $275M for 'largest private sector investment in Canadian history' — Kitimat, B.C.'s LNG project
Cash earmarked for energy-efficient gas turbines needed for the $40B project and a new bridge in Kitimat
The federal government is pumping $275 million into LNG Canada's $40 billion liquefied natural gas project in Kitimat, B.C.
Finance Minister Bill Morneau made the announcement Monday in Kitimat, announcing the $220 million will be directed toward buying energy-efficient gas turbines for the project, with the additional $55 million spent on replacing the Haisla Bridge in Kitimat, which is expected to see an increase in traffic.
"The Government of Canada is proud to support this historic $40 billion project that will get our resources to new markets," said Morneau.
LNG Canada includes a liquefaction facility, a 670 kilometre pipeline from Dawson Creek and a marine terminal.
The project represents the "largest private sector investment in Canadian history," according to a federal government news release.
The government claims LNG Canada will create 7,500 direct construction jobs and at least 300 permanent jobs in the new facility once completed.
And so the <a href="https://twitter.com/liberal_party?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@liberal_party</a> "climate emergency" <a href="https://t.co/n9tsssQ3EF">https://t.co/n9tsssQ3EF</a> leads to another $220 million subsidy to LNG Canada. Even the <a href="https://twitter.com/TheBeaverton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheBeaverton</a> will struggle to find a satirical headline to describe this <a href="https://t.co/NcP6zcPF0o">https://t.co/NcP6zcPF0o</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bcpoli?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bcpoli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cdnpoli?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cdnpoli</a>
—@AJWVictoriaBCThe jobs number rises to 10,000 if pipeline construction and other upstream employment is included.
On Twitter, B.C. Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver was critical of the announcement, writing: "And so the @liberal_party 'climate emergency' leads to another $220 million subsidy to LNG Canada."
Last week, the House of Commons declared a national climate emergency in Canada.
The vote in favour of the non-binding motion took place hours before the government announced it was approving the $7.4 billion Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.