Skip to content

Pipeline project enters environmental assessment phase

Proposed Coastal Gaslink Pipeline would stretch 650 kms from northeastern B.C. to Kitimat.

Another major northern B.C. project has applied to obtain an Environmental Assessment Certificate.

Starting Friday, the 45-day public comment period begins for the Coastal Gaslink LNG pipeline. The B.C. Environmental Assessment Office is hosting open houses on the project, starting March 27 in Chetwynd.

TransCanada’s proposed Coastal Gaslink pipeline stretches about 650-km from northeastern B.C. to the LNG Canada gas liquification facility being put forward by Shell Canada in Kitimat.

The proposed route lies more than 50 kilometres south of Smithers.

The pipeline would have an initial capacity of two to three billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, with the potential for an expansion of up to five bcf/d.

The other open houses are: April 1 in Fraser Lake, April 2 in Burns Lake and April 3 in Kitimat.

According to the Ministry of Environment, the communities chosen to host open houses are along the project route.

“The location and format of public open houses is determined by the environmental assessment office,” the ministry said in an email response.

“Staff take into account factors such as potential project impacts, geographic scale and location of the project and the ability to reach as wide a community as possible, bearing in mind that it is not always possible to hold open houses in every interested community.”

The public comment period ends May 5.

The Environmental Assessment Office has 180 days to complete the application review, which started March 11.

For more information on the Coastal Gaslink application and on how to submit a comment on the proposal, go to www.eao.gov.bc.ca.