Snuneymuxw First Nation and FortisBC Holdings Inc. sign agreement for Tilbury LNG projects, strengthening long-standing relationship

Jan 27, 2023

Snuneymuxw Territory – January 27, 2023—FortisBC Holdings Inc. (“FortisBC”) and Snuneymuxw First Nation (“Snuneymuxw”) are pleased to announce an agreement to work in close collaboration on the Tilbury Projects. On January 26, 2023, Snuneymuxw Chief Mike Wyse invited FortisBC President and CEO Roger Dall’Antonia to sign the agreement on Snuneymuxw traditional territory.

The agreement respects Snuneymuxw’s rights in relation to the potential project impacts and represents a commitment to share benefits related to the Tilbury Projects. Snuneymuxw has committed to supporting Tilbury Projects and participating in regulatory processes associated with the Tilbury Projects including the Tilbury LNG Storage Expansion Project and the Tilbury Marine Jetty Project. The agreement also ensures FortisBC is supporting Snuneymuxw’s community members through educational opportunities, relevant training and continued investments in the community.

“This agreement is important to Snuneymuxw for several reasons,” says Snuneymuxw Chief Mike Wyse. “FortisBC recognizes the importance of a relationship with us and respects our Aboriginal and Treaty rights within our traditional territory and waters. We know that sustainable development requires project level decisions by government and regulators, and we support the Tilbury Projects that FortisBC has developed and will build on. We look forward to working with FortisBC, and other participants in this work, to ensure we share and build on the opportunities before us: mutual prosperity, employment, and protection of the environment.”

This agreement marks an important milestone on the path to true collaboration on projects that make up the Tilbury Expansion according to FortisBC President & CEO Roger Dall’Antonia. “Coming together to establish an agreement like this takes time and a lot of thoughtful discussion, but I know it is worthwhile. Contributions from Snuneymuxw will ensure FortisBC can plan and build Tilbury projects that will help minimize environmental impacts and create benefits that will help support the Snuneymuxw community. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Snuneymuxw.”

Backgrounder

Tilbury LNG Expansion Projects

For more than 50 years, the Tilbury LNG facility in Delta has been at the heart of BC’s energy system, storing and providing natural gas for use on the coldest days of the year. Over time, customer needs have evolved and so has Tilbury. The Phase 1A expansion, commissioned in 2019, added a 46,000 cubic metre storage tank and LNG liquefaction capacity of 0.25 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). Further Tilbury expansions are proposed to help strengthen FortisBC’s gas system and provide more LNG to customers wanting to reduce their carbon footprint as follows:

Phase 1B

This expansion is intended to serve growing demand for LNG as a marine fuel by increasing LNG liquefaction capacity by up to 0.65 MTPA. By expanding Tilbury’s capacity, we can advance LNG as a lower-carbon alternative fuel to diesel or bunker oil for marine shipping.

Phase 2

This expansion has two components and serves two functions. The first component is an additional storage tank of up to 142,400 cubic metres to provide a backup energy supply to the Lower Mainland, which strengthens the resilience of our gas system. The second component is additional liquefaction of up to approximately 2.6 MTPA which will produce LNG to help customers switch from higher carbon fuels like diesel or coal.

Marine Jetty

The Tilbury Marine Jetty is proposed by Tilbury Jetty LP, an affiliate of FortisBC, and would be located adjacent to the Tilbury LNG facility. This project, through providing ship loading services for LNG, enables ship-to-ship LNG marine fueling in the Port of Vancouver, which can significantly reduce emissions from the shipping industry. It also enables LNG to displace higher carbon fuels in industry and energy generation. LNG from Tilbury can reduce GHG emissions from ships up to 27 per cent when switching from traditional marine fuel.

The Snuneymuxw are a vibrant First Nation of the Coast Salish People, located in the centre of Coast Salish territory on the eastern coast of Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, the Fraser River, Burrard Inlet and the Howe Sound. The Snuneymuxw territory encompasses one of the most productive and resource rich areas at the heart of the Salish Sea. On December 23, 1854, the Crown entered the Snuneymuxw Treaty of 1854 constituting solemn promises and obligations to forever and always protect Snuneymuxw villages, enclosed fields, and the right to hunt and fisheries as formerly.

FortisBC Holdings Inc. is a subsidiary of Fortis Inc., a leader in the North American regulated electric and gas utility industry. FortisBC Holdings Inc. is also the direct parent company of FortisBC Energy Inc., a regulated utility operating in British Columbia.

 

Media contact