B.C. LNG project in Tsawwassen to be voted on by First Nation

TheTsawwassen First Nation will proceed with a vote on plans to build an LNG export facility just north of the Tsawwassen ferry terminal, it announced on Monday.

"The preliminary concept looks at a plan somewhere between three million and five million metric tonnes per annum," said Tsawwassen First Nation spokesman Chris Hartman.

"In terms of tanker traffic associated with that, probably somewhere in the range of four to five LNG carriers a month, or about one a week."

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The proposed LNG facility would be built on32 hectares ofTsawwassen First Nations territorythat is currently zoned forindustrial development, said Hartman.

He added the project would be smaller than proposed projects in northern parts of the province, but larger than the proposed Woodfibre LNG project near Squamish.

The Tsawwassen facility wouldconsist of storage tanks, liquefaction units, anda power substation. Apipelineto the marine terminal at nearbyRobert Banks would also have to be built.

The project promises1,000 jobs during the construction phase,and 50 to 100 permanent, well-paying jobs during operations.

Voting in December

The nearly 300 band members will vote on Dec. 16 whether or not to proceedwith the plan.

"I look forward to what the membership has to say and what direction they would like to pursue," said Tsawwassen Chief Bryce Williams.

"Whatever they decide I will definitely be supporting either concept."

If Tsawwassen First Nation members approve the plan, it will stillneedenvironmental approval from the provincial and federal governments, and likely wouldn't be running until 2022.

Earlier in the day, B.C. PremierChristy Clark visited aFortisBCLNG facilityalso in Delta, on TillburyRoad that's been in place since 1971 and iscurrently being expanded at a costof $400 million.

Construction onthe expansion project began in 2014 and is expected to be completed by 2016.