Tag Archives: BC’s LNG

Energy, Politics

BC transmission line risks repeating Site C failures: critics

 Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 

The rush to develop BC’s $6-billion North Coast Transmission Line risks charging down the same troubled path of poor oversight and cost over-runs faced by the Site C dam, critics warn, pointing to a new report.

At the end of October, BC Hydro provided the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) with its Site C “lessons learned” report, which outlined why the Peace River project costs nearly doubled to $16 billion from the original $8.8 billion figure in 2014. 

The North Coast Transmission Line (NCTL), which will power natural gas operations, LNG export facilities, mining and the Prince Rupert port expansion, is the next big-ticket item tackled by BC Hydro. 

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Finances, Politics

What did the 2025 Budget Mean for North Island Powell River?

See: Liberal Budget survives Non-confidence vote 

Monday November 17, 2025 – Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government is expected to face another non-confidence motion today. This will be the third non-confidence motion this month, which the opposition parties have made in regard to the 2025 budget. In this morning’s interview, Jennifer Lash, the liberal candidate for this riding during the last election, explains why the budget is good for North Island Powell River, and why it’s good for climate action.  

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Cost of Climate Change, Politics

‘Climate negative’: Canada’s energy transition progress stalls in first Carney budget

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first budget did not deliver new investments on climate or clean tech. In fact, some experts say it takes a step backwards.

The “climate competitiveness strategy” Carney has been teasing spanned 10 pages out of the 406-page document. It committed to improve the federal government’s emissions reduction workhorse — the industrial carbon pricing system — but provided precious few details on how it would do so, while leaving the door wide open to ditching the proposed cap on oil and gas sector emissions and weakening greenwashing rules. 

“This is the most climate negative budget we’ve seen in more than a decade since the Harper era,” Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood, a senior researcher at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, told Canada’s National Observer during the budget lockup in Ottawa.

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Energy, Politics

Feds, BC are shifting LNG risks to public purse, report claims

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Ottawa and the British Columbia government are shifting financial risks of LNG companies onto the public purse while weakening commitment to the “polluter pays” principle, a new report suggests.

The federal and provincial governments are on track to provide almost $4 billion in support for fuel expansion of LNG exports on the West Coast, despite forecasts that global demand for the fossil fuel will peak well before most projects come online. 

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Cost of Climate Change

Saturday, September 20: Drawing the Line in Campbell River

People from 93 nations will be calling upon their governments to Draw the Line – For People, for Peace, for the Planet – on Saturday, September 20. Demonstrations are planned in major cities across Europe, Asia, Latin America, the United States  and Canada. More than 200 organizations, including 350 Canada, the Council of Canadians and the Migrant Rights Network are participating. 

On Vancouver Island, there will be demonstrations in Victoria, Nanaimo, Campbell River, Courtenay and Duncan as well as the neighbouring communities of Denman Island, Salt Spring Island and Powell River. 

Former North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney will be among the Speakers for the event starting at 2 PM in Campbell River’s Spirit Square.

Continue reading Saturday, September 20: Drawing the Line in Campbell River →