BC Resource Coalition 2022/23

Boilermakers support development of B.C.’s natural resources and the jobs they create. Learn more or apply for membership at www.boilermaker.ca

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT PAUL TIEFENSEE

It has been another great year at the BCRC. I couldn’t be prouder of what we have accomplished. Since our last publication we have achieved many milestones and continued to execute on our strategic plan.

In the late fall of 2021, we completed a strategic plan for the organization with a two-day summit of directors that resulted in an excellent path forward for the organization and helped guide us through decisions for the year. The plan resulted in the appointment of an Environmental Chair which is important to having balanced and educated conversations about B.C.’s natural resources.

We also presented to the City of Prince George about the importance of following the regulatory process during the assessment of natural resource projects. We were seeing pressure groups trying to circumvent the regulatory process and get projects shutdown before they could even be given a fair shake. Our presentation helped enlighten our local leaders and shine a new light on the positivity of new projects. We have strong reason to believe that changed the vote of a proposed project from a majority “No” vote to a tie which allowed the proponent an opportunity to provide additional information. This effort also established an important precedent for future projects in showing that Prince George is in fact “open for business”.

We carried this presentation forward in early 2022 with the Regional District of Fraser Fort George. The success of these presentations has led to a lineup of presentations to other municipalities and regional districts within B.C. in late 2022.

Another result of our strategic plan was to develop more relationships with First Nations organizations. As President, I have maintained a close relationship with the Lheidli T’enneh Chief and Council as well as other First Nations organizations and community leaders. I am a member of the Championships Table in which 15 First Nation community Chiefs, represented by The B.C.

Assembly of First Nations, meet with 15 senior executive CEOs in business represented by the British Columbia Business Council to discuss procurement strategies, policies, and procedures with respect to UNDRIP and Truth and Reconciliation.

It is important for the BCRC to continue to actively work to engage First Nations communities and organizations. Without the inclusion of First Nations, our coalition cannot suggest it would even be relevant in today’s natural resource sector.

This year we also hired our first employee in 2022 in the position of Executive Director. Perry Cook has taken on this role to keep social media up to date and maintain outreach with our members. He has also been instrumental in hosting #Miningforbeer networking events. These sessions have proven to be a great networking success, and as a result there are several more planned across B.C. in the future. Keep following our social media for updates.

In closing, our Board of Directors and senior Executive have been working hard to keep the BCRC financially viable through raffles and grants. Please stay tuned for a chopper raffle we will be hosting to align with the holiday season. Most importantly, in terms of financial viability, I would like to thank you, our membership, for your continued support. We are confident that our organization continues to gain traction and is getting noticed for our ability to be great industry partners to add an incredible perspective on upcoming potential projects. As we look forward to what 2023 has to offer, we are motivated by your support and the engagement of others, to continue to develop opportunity within B.C.’s resource sector. As active participants in B.C.’s natural resource sectors, it is our responsibility to ensure B.C.’s natural resources industry remains relevant, sustainable, and responsible, preserving a vibrant future for our and future generations. p

OFFICERS

BCRC MEMBERSHIP EXECUTIVE COMPANY FEATURES

Formula Contractors

www.formulacontractors.com

Formula Contractors delivers comprehensive construction services to the mining, forestry, oil & gas, renewable energy, utilities, and government sectors. Formula specializes in bridges, foundations, pile driving, structures, steel erection, water infrastructure, earthworks, heavy civil construction, and general contracting. We also provide equipment rentals and portable bridge rentals & sales.

Lakewood Electric www.lakewoodelectric.ca

Lakewood Electric Ltd. is customer focused and results driven. The company encompasses the full scope of electrical power and control installations, project design, and turn-key installations in the areas of Pulp and Paper, sawmill industry, chemical industry, mining industry, commercial, service, petroleum industry, high voltage and power distribution, instrumentation services, and communications and data.

Steel Grid www.steelgrid.ca

Steel Grid Construction is a Prince George-based construction company working in the natural resources sector of industrial development. They specialize in industrial construction – encompassing the design, installation, and maintenance of most all structural and mechanical components in power plants, saw mills, pulp mills, mines etc.; steel erection and structural services – offering small to large installation of engineered and pre-engineered structural steel buildings either bolted connection or CWB welded connection; mill and mine installations and maintenance – including brand new construction, installation, dismantle, repair, reassemble, move and align machinery in power plants, saw mills, pulp mills, mines and energy plants; and, pipe and vessel services (pressure/non-pressure) offering installation, assembly, fabrication, maintenance and repairs of all mechanical piping systems.

Andritz www.andritz.com

ANDRITZ is a globally leading supplier of plants, equipment, and services for hydropower stations, the pulp and paper industry, the metalworking and steel industries, and for solid/liquid separation in the municipal and industrial sectors. ANDRITZ also offers technologies for other sectors including automation, production of animal feed and biomass pellets, pumps, machinery for nonwovens, steam boiler plants, biomass boilers and gasification plants for energy generation, flue gas cleaning plants, plants for the production of panelboards (MDF), and thermal sludge utilization.

The publicly listed technology group is headquartered in Graz, Austria, and has a staff of around 27,800 employees. ANDRITZ operates over 280 sites worldwide.

Omineca Fabricating www.ominecafabricating.com

Established in 1994, Omineca Fabricating is a full-service fabrication shop, mill maintenance service provider and complete removal/installation contractor. Omineca provides services to a diverse client base on a variety of project types. Omineca prides themselves on working to the highest caliber of safety, quality and efficiency. Omineca arrives to each job site well prepared with the correct tools and personnel in place to ensure all projects are completed successfully. With many types of skilled tradespeople, Omineca has proven to be diverse in all types of projects/maintenance it undertakes.

Tyrod

Industries

www.tyrodindustries.com

Tyrod Industries is an industrial construction company who specializes in the fabrication and installation of pressure piping systems, structural steel, and pressure vessels. With over 15 years of experience serving the oil & gas Industry, we have built a reputation of outstanding quality in both our shop and field service. We are committed to building and nurturing a great place to work, learn, and develop. p

ABOUT THE B.C. RESOURCE COALITION

Mission statement: Advocating for value-added use of British Columbia's natural resources while preserving our environment.

The B.C. Resource Coalition advocates for the sustainable development of natural resources in British Columbia while preserving our environment. We believe in the responsible management of our natural resources to create jobs for current and future generations. We work through communities, indigenous organizations, and governments to promote engagement of all stakeholders. We promote the development of world-class environmental stewardship,

manufacturing technologies, and education. Our goal is to ensure we have strong local and provincial legislation for the protection and sovereignty of B.C.’s natural resource value-added sector to develop a diverse industrial hub in the resource industry.

Visit us online at www.thebcrc.ca, or watch an episode of The BCRC Show on YouTube.

TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND B.C. MAKE HISTORY TOGETHER

Tahltan Central Government and the Province of B.C. have entered into the first consent-based decision-making agreement under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (Declaration Act).

This agreement honours Tahltan’s jurisdiction in land-management decisions in Tahltan Territory, in recognition of Tahltan’s title and rights within its territory. The agreement advances reconciliation as well as provides clarity and predictability for the Eskay Creek Revitalization Project.

“Today marks an exciting step forward in the evolution of the relationship between the Tahltan Nation and the Province of British Columbia,” says Chad Norman Day, President, Tahltan Central Government. “Reconciliation is not achieved with just one step. It requires ongoing innovation, collaboration, and leaning into discomfort.”

The agreement outlines consentbased decision-making related to the environmental assessment of the Eskay Creek Revitalization Project, and the governments are working together to change B.C.’s traditional

approach to environmental assessments and permit authorizations by placing Tahltan values and rights at the forefront.

“For the Tahltan people, strengthening and preserving our culture, values and independence is why we keep pushing forward on this journey,” says Day. “There will be no world-class mining jurisdiction in Tahltan Territory without robust Tahltan stewardship, which must include world-class wildlife and fisheries management, strong environmental mitigation measures, and recognition of our 1910 Declaration.”

Together, the shared intent is to create a model for sustainable mining and world-class environmental practices and standards. The agreement helps advance reconciliation with the Tahltan Nation, while providing certainty for the Eskay Creek Revitalization Project.

“As an already developed mine site with existing road access, waste management facilities, nearby access to green power and robust economics, Indigenous consent is an essential step in an efficient approval

process for Eskay Creek,” says Justin Himmelright, Senior Vice-President of external affairs and sustainability, Skeena Resources. “We look forward to working with our Tahltan partners and the governments of B.C. and Canada to bring this iconic project back into production.”

The consent-based decision-making process outlined in the agreement demonstrates that reconciliation and economic development can go hand in hand by supporting strong environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards as guided by the Tahltan people. This agreement positions B.C. as a preferred destination for ESG investors and is a tangible demonstration of successful collaboration with First Nations on decisions that affect them and their territories. It reflects the ability to cocreate regulatory certainty for major projects.

“This historic step shifts B.C.’s legal decision-making framework to respect First Nations jurisdiction, recognize the inherent rights of the Tahltan and provide a clear, stable, and sustainable path for everyone to work together,” says Premier John

Horgan. “This is reconciliation in action, in the real world. The Tahltan Nation is a strong partner. By working together, we are delivering on the promise of reconciliation, supporting predictability for business and encouraging responsible investment in B.C.”

Section 7 of the Declaration Act provides a mechanism for the Province to recognize in law Indigenous jurisdiction and decisions within the provincial statutory decision-making framework. Section 7 of the Environmental Assessment Act provides the enabling legislation required under the Declaration Act for the decision-making agreement between Tahltan and the Province.

“The Tahltan Nation and the Province have a long journey ahead walking and living on the path to reconciliation, and we look forward to building on our relationship together,” says Day. “I thank all of those who have worked on this historic agreement, which better recognizes Tahltan jurisdiction

over our homelands. It has been generations in the making. Meduh.”

About Tahltan Nation Development Corporation

https://www.tndc.ca

Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (TNDC) is a business corporation owned by the people of the Tahltan Nation through the Tahltan Band, Iskut Band, and the Tahltan Central Government. TNDC pursues sustainable and responsible business and economic development opportunities in the region that lead to employment, training, and business opportunities for Tahltan members.

TNDC was established in 1985 to enable the Tahltan Nation to fully participate in the economic activities and development occurring within Tahltan Territory and to provide employment, training, and contracting opportunities to members of the Tahltan community.

Together with its partners, and backed by a trained and experienced local workforce, TNDC is able to

support all aspects of resource and industrial development projects occurring in Tahltan territory.

Since its inception, TNDC has established a reputation as an experienced, qualified, reliable, and competitive corporation focussed on safety, quality, and integrity through its work on hundreds of resources and industrial projects.

Today, TNDC is one of the largest employers in Northwest British Columbia and in the top 5 per cent of all B.C.-based companies. In 2021, TNDC was rated the biggest First Nations business in B.C., ranked by total number of employees, in Business in Vancouver’s annual listing.

Some of their business partnerships are in the areas of aviation, transportation, camp services, telecommunications, construction, engineering, environmental, as well as a minority ownership of Skeena Resources. p

INDUSTRY RE-FOCUSES ON GOLDEN TRIANGLE

By Melanie Franner

Long considered an area rich in production – and potential – B.C.’s Golden Triangle is on the map again. The Deep Dive, a research vehicle providing stock analysis on Canadian junior markets, attributes this renewed interest to a variety of factors, namely:

• Newly exposed terrain and rock formations;

• New high-voltage transmission line;

• New Stewart-Cassiar Highway;

• New ocean-access shipping facilities;

• New technologies; and

• Improved relations, collaboration, and cooperation between the mining industry, the B.C. government, and two of the region’s First Nations groups (the Tahltan Central Government and the Nisga’a Lisims Government).

In the know

A May 2022 Information Circular on the Golden Triangle from the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation estimates that the total compliant reserves and resources in the region represent $1.280 billion. This includes 3300Mlb molybdenum, 1600 Moz silver, 240 Moz gold, 91,900 Mlb copper, 400 Mlb lead, and 1600 Mlb zinc. The

circular attributes the figures to DigiGeoData, as of December 31, 2021.

The Information Circular also highlights recent transactions such as Newmont’s May 2021 $456M ownership acquisition of GT Gold Corp. The acquisition includes the Tatogga gold-copper project, which is comprised primarily of the Saddle North deposit.

Newmont continued its procurement activities with its June 2022 acquisition of Skeena Resources Limited (following Skeena’s March 2022 acquisition of QuestEx Gold & Copper Ltd.), which includes the northern properties of Castle, Coyote,

PHOTO COURTESY OF SKEENA RESOURCES LIMITED

Heart Peaks, Moat, and North ROK.

Other recent buys saw Newcrest Mining Limited’s acquisition of Pretium Resources Inc.’s Brucejack mine in March 2022. The company immediately launched a threephase transformation program to optimise synergies in safety and logistics, investigate increasing process plant capacity from the currently permitted rate of 3,800 tonnes per day to between 4,500 and 5,000 tonnes per day, and intensify exploration drilling programs.

Significant drilling continues at the Red Chris joint venture between Newcrest (70%) and Imperial Metals Corporation (30%), with eight rigs operational. Production at Red Chris in 2021 was 65.43Mibs Cu, 60,160 oz Au, and 171,045 oz Ag.

In October 2021, the Newcrest Board also endorsed the Red Chris Block Cave Pre-Feasibility Study, which confirms Red Chris’ potential to be a long-life, low-cost mine capable of producing a total of 5.3Moz of gold and 1.7Mt of copper. The Board has approved moving onto the Feasibility Stage.

The recent buying spree in the Golden Triangle is complemented by significant drilling developments.

Eskay Mining Corp. reports that its planned 30,000-metre drill program will make 2022 one of the most aggressive drill campaigns ever undertaken at the Consolidated Eskay VMS Project. Its systematic ‘fence’ style drill campaign will be employed along the greater fivekilometre-long TV-Jeff corridor. This is expected to deliver new discoveries like those already drilled over the past two seasons at the Jeff and TV

deposits. The exploration team is also aggressively advancing work in areas such as Scarlet Ridge and Excelsior to deliver new drill targets to be tested later this season.

Dolly Varden Silver Corporation is currently using three diamond drill rigs with 99 drill holes planned in the Phase I program at Kitsault Valley Project. To date, over 18,000 metres of drilling has been completed. Resource upgrade and expansion drilling is underway at the Homestake Ridge Main Gold zone with two drills, one drill continuing exploration, and resource expansion drilling at the silver-rich Torbrit area and at the Wolf Deposit. Geological and geophysical work along the Kitsault Valley trend is also ongoing to help refine targets for exploration drilling in the latter part of the summer.

Skeena completed a Prefeasibility Study (PFS) in July 2021 on Eskay Creek which highlights an after-tax NPV5% of C$1.4B, 56% IRR and a 1.4-year payback at US$1,550/oz Au and US$22/oz Ag. The company is

aggressively advancing Eskay Creek toward a Feasibility

in 2022. Results from the 2022 drill program at the Goldstorm/Copper Belle zone on Treaty Creek (Tudor Gold Corp., Teuton Resources Corp. and American Creek Resources Ltd.) showed continued success in the step-out drilling of the large Goldstorm Deposit and its various domains, as well as the continuation of hitting high grades within pulses of gold and silver as a late-stage, over-printed style of mineralization. Notably, much higher silver mineralization is associated with these late-stage features as supported by a 1.5 metre interval within the 300H domain, which yielded 24.11 g/t AuEq (20.40 g/t Au, 311 g/t Ag and 648 ppm Cu) within GS-22-146 as part of a 10.5 metre composite that averaged 9.55 g/t AuEq (8.77 g/t Au, 62.44 g/t Ag and 410 ppm Cu). Similarly, within hole GS-22-147, a 1.10 metre intercept yielded 22.79 g/t AuEq over 1.10 m (13.4 g/t Au, 801 g/t Ag and 196 ppm Cu).

Study which is expected to be released late

PHOTO COURTESY OF ESKAY MINING CORPORATIONS

Potential projects

Several proposed mines are also under consideration in the Golden Triangle, as per the Ministry’s May 2022 Information Circular.

Among these is Galore Creek (Galore Creek Mining Corporation), an alkalic porphyry copper-gold mine with a Measured + Indicated resource of 1.104 Bt at 0.47% Cu, 0.26 g/t Au, 3.7 g/t Ag and an Inferred resource of 198 Mt at 0.27% Cu, 0.21 g/t Au, 2.7 g/t Ag.

KSM (Seabridge Gold Inc.) is also in the mix. The calc-alkaline porphyry Au-Cu-Ag-Mo has Proven + Probable reserves of 2.198 Bt at 0.55 g/t Au, 0.21% Cu, 2.6 g/t Ag, 42.6 g/t Mo. Measured + Indicated resource is 3.59 Bt at 0.49 g/t Au, 0.19% Cu, 2.7 g/t Ag, 53.0 g/t Mo, while Inferred resource is 5.40 Bt at 0.36 g/t Au, 0.29% Cu, 2.2 g/t Ag, 31 g/t Mo.

Ascot Resources Ltd. also has two proposed mines in the area: Premier is an epithermal gold-silver mine,

while Red Mountain is a vein, breccia, and stockwork gold-silver mine. The former has Proven + Probable reserves of 3.63 Mt at 5.45 g/t Au, 19.11 g/t Ag, while the latter has Proven + Probable reserves of 2.54 Mt at 6.52 g/t Au, 20.60 g/t Ag.

Long-lasting appeal

The Golden Triangle continues to garner interest among today’s investors. Its long history makes it a tantalizing proposition for industry stalwarts and newcomers alike. The past year has shown the area remains very active indeed – be it sale and acquisition, drilling and exploration, mineral production, or proposed projects. All of these factors point toward the area’s storied past continuing well into the future. p

The Golden Triangle continues to garner interest among today’s investors. Its long history makes it a tantalizing proposition for industry stalwarts and newcomers alike.

A PATH FORWARD FOR B.C.’S FOREST SECTOR THAT CONTRIBUTES TO A BETTER B.C.

By Susan Yurkovich, President and CEO of the Council of Forest Industries

In 2022, B.C.’s forest product producers continue to face ongoing uncertainty with renewed resolve.

Globally, we continue to tackle the biggest health and economic crisis of a generation and plan for what our economy and society are going to look like on the other side.

At the same time, expectations on important issues like climate change are ramping up. More consumers are rightfully demanding products that are good for the planet. Investors are backing companies that are embracing the importance of environmental, social, governance (ESG).

And many of our biggest trading partners are driving towards net zero.

Geopolitical instability, protectionism and polarization are disrupting global markets and societies. Here at home, big shifts in forest policy direction are underway as the province advances a process of regulatory and legislative changes that, while well intentioned, are creating uncertainty for British Columbians who rely on a strong, sustainable forest sector.

Given these realities, it’s reasonable to wonder how a positive path forward for B.C.’s forest sector is possible –one that supports climate-friendly products for the world, healthy forests, Indigenous reconciliation and good jobs. But a bright future is possible, and our sector is ready to work in partnership with governments, Indigenous nations, communities, and labour.

The forest sector continues to be a shining light – keeping people working and revenue to government flowing during the pandemic. Operators’ ability to safely get back up and running faster than consumer-facing sectors helped, as did unprecedented demand for lumber as people spent time doing projects at home. We continued to put paycheques into people’s pockets, supporting 100,000 jobs – from foresters and biologists in Quesnel and Nanaimo, to drone makers and mill workers in Vancouver and Surrey.

The sector provides an outsized contribution to government revenue – $4 billion annually – helping pay for hospitals, affordable housing and COVID relief. And we can grow

that contribution as consumers increasingly look to sustainably produced, low-carbon forest products as the building and packaging material of choice. So, how can we leverage demand, the power of our people and our ESG leadership as the world looks to build back better?

First, we need a balanced approach to forest policy. We value B.C.’s conservation leadership. We also value B.C. forests for the jobs, recreational and cultural uses they represent – values that are managed for when harvest level decisions are made each year. That’s why we need a factbased approach to policy modernization that’s informed by having everyone at the table.

Second, companies, whether big or small, primary or secondary manufacturers, new entrants or established players, all need predictable access to fibre at a reasonable cost. Clear rules and transparent, timely processes will encourage those looking to invest to plan for the future.

Third, we need to acknowledge forest products in all forms are tools to fight climate challenge. Products made from forest fibre are a better choice as they store carbon and reforestation ensures that cycle continues. B.C.’s masstimber plan is a start, but other value-added opportunities are possible if supported by a healthy primary sector and investment climate.

Finally, partnership is key. We all want businesses to thrive, to ensure skilled workers can prosper, innovate and make products the world wants, to increase Indigenous participation in and benefits from the sector and to ensure sustainably managed forests continue to support British Columbians, government, labour, Indigenous nations, communities and companies cannot do this alone. It requires coming together.

Our hope is that 2022 is the year we double down on efforts to put B.C.’s forest sector on a positive path forward, ensuring it continues to contribute to a better province and a better planet. p

BC’S FOREST INDUSTRY... CORNERSTONE OF OUR ECONOMY.

ECONOMIC REACH LIKE NO OTHER

The forest industry has been a cornerstone of the BC economy for more than 100 years. Today, the economic benefits continue to drive local and regional economies in every corner of BC — from Prince George, to Campbell River to Vancouver.

DEEP ROOTS. STRONG COMMUNITIES.

The economic reach and impact of the BC forest industry crosses small, urban and rural communities alike. In 2019, the BC forest industry purchased $7 billion of goods and services from nearly 9,900 businesses in over 340 communities and 120 Indigenous Nations and organizations. These businesses are located not only in smaller communities, but also substantially in urban centres such as Nanaimo, Kamloops, Prince George and Metro Vancouver.

GROW BC FORESTS. USE BC FOREST PRODUCTS. REPEAT.

STRENGTHENING INDIGENOUS PARTNERSHIPS

Indigenous communities are vital industry partners. In 2019, business agreements and stewardship partnerships with Indigenous Nations totaled approximately $250 million, with benefits flowing to Indigenous communities across BC. This included the purchase of goods and services from 120 Indigenous Nations and affiliated businesses who provided a diverse range of services to industry including land use planning, environmental monitoring, data collection and more.

GOVERNMENT REVENUES

BC’s forest sector is a significant contributor to government revenues through production taxes, stumpage fees, income taxes and other regulatory contributions. In fact, forestry provides about $4 billion annually in government revenues at a federal, provincial and municipal level (2016), helping to pay for essential services such as healthcare, schools and public infrastructure.

LOOKING AHEAD TO BUILD FROM TODAY

It’s hard to imagine how a community of approximately 8,000 people on the northwest coast of B.C. could possibly top what is considered the single largest private investment in Canadian history – but it’ll try.

The District of Kitimat, a community with a history of being a top choice for industrial developers over its nearly 70-year history, is the centre of a $40-billion liquefied natural gas export facility – LNG Canada – which has already raced past the halfway mark.

It’s not the only name in LNG for Kitimat either – the Haisla-led Cedar LNG project is also working its way through its own assessment process for a floating facility on the Kitimat coast.

The District is not content to rest on its laurels though; the crucial question now is “what’s next?”

One of the current projects is a process through the Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI) to kickstart a relationship-building process with the Haisla Nation, in which whose traditional, unceded territory the District operates.

This is a two-year program that will involve creating initiatives jointly with the goal of responsible and effective economic development.

The District also works closely with existing local industry. The Rio Tinto aluminum smelter continues to be a major local employer, and the District enjoys a positive working relationship with the company.

Meanwhile, the District also continues to lay the groundwork for a stronger and more inclusive community. A recent groundbreaking event marked the construction start of a new transition house and 24-hour child-care facility to better support Kitimat’s families.

Some of Kitimat’s own residents are also either in

the process of expanding their existing businesses or embarking on brand new entrepreneurial quests. It’s a glowing sign of local businesspeople’s sense of optimism in Kitimat as a town that will continue to grow and support a local economy.

In our community, we have a number of other municipal projects underway or nearing completion, including a major project to replace our Haisla Bridge and the opening of a new nature park on our oceanfront.

Around here, we sometimes talk about the “Kitimat

Advantage” but it’s more than just all the features and amenities that make us make sense for investors and developers. It’s our community’s grassroots support of new development and our ongoing effort to work together with everyone that matters to make things happen responsibly. That is our advantage.

Thanks to our relationships with our industrial partners, our service sectors, and our friends and neighbours, we are realizing our next steps and laying the foundation for decades of progress p

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PAVING THE PATH TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE

First Nations Major Projects in B.C.

The First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) is a nonpartisan, business-focused not-for-profit organization with a mandate to provide members with capacity tools, support, and advice that enable members to make informed business decisions about major projects planned or occurring within their traditional territories.

Advancing major projects is the core of FNMPC’s service delivery. FNMPC has and continues to successfully assist First Nations with developing creative financing solutions to break down common barriers that First Nations face in financing their participation in major projects. FNMPC provides strategic advice to help members maximize benefits from their participation in projects for their communities.

Currently, FNMPC is actively working on seven major projects located across Canada, each with a First Nations ownership equity investment component, and a portfolio exceeding a combined total capital cost of over $17 billion. FNMPC also offers services in environmental stewardship and land-based planning, support in developing strategic partnerships, best practices, and engagement, as well as research and advocacy on key public policy issues impacting

Indigenous participation in major projects.

Another core component of FNMPC’s mandate is convening First Nations, industry, and government, which enables FNMPC members to network and build important relationships. FNMPC achieves this by hosting diverse workshops and events, most notably the annual Industry Engagement Event (“IEE”). The IEE conference, now entering its sixth year, attracts over 1,300 Indigenous, Industry and Government leaders’ from across North America and is the largest event of its kind. The 2023 IEE Event “The Values Driven Economy” takes place April 24 & 25 in Vancouver B.C.

Clarke Lake Geothermal Project

The Clarke Lake Geothermal Project (CLGP) is a joint economic development initiative of Fort Nelson First Nation (FNFN) to re-purpose the Clark Lake gas field as one of Canada’s first commercially viable geothermal electricity production facilities. The field is located on, and adjacent to, Fort Nelson First Nation Reserve #2 land.

The 7 MW geothermal electricity generation plant will produce clean, renewable baseload electricity with a 95 per cent capacity factor. The

clean energy generated by CLGP will displace gas fired generation on which the region is currently 100 per cent dependent.

In addition to providing sustainable revenue for the region, the CLGP will generate employment and bring economic vibrancy to Fort Nelson. The clean energy generated will directly offset the burning of fossil fuels and deliver an historic commercial scale demonstration of geothermal energy production in Canada. It will help to make a case for reducing reliance upon fossil fuels and paving the way for future developments in Canada where geothermal resource exists. This project exemplifies British Columbia’s environmentally sustainable development initiatives through its CleanBC plan.

As a First Nations-led economic development initiative, CLGP advances Indigenous reconciliation. It displaces gas fired generation within the region reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It will provide baseload renewable electricity to the region demonstrating geothermal energy as a new clean energy technology in Canada and de-risking future projects.

CLGP would be a Nation Building

project that will raise the Canadian profile of FNFN. It will generate 58,254 MWh of clean power per year using a renewable source of energy which would be naturally replenished throughout the power plant’s useful life.

Unlike other renewable sources such as wind or solar, geothermal provides a reliable and sustainable source of energy. Geothermal development activities result in lower longterm land disturbance than other conventional and renewable methods of power generation.

It re-purposes a petroleum industrial site for clean energy development. Excess heat from the plant can be utilized to stimulate additional economic opportunities in the region. Some opportunities for the Fort Nelson Region could be domestic heating, industrial heating, food security, industrial food production, hydrogen production, mineral extraction etc. The project produces a positive, sustainable and long-term revenue stream for the Nations and the region.

CLGP would incubate a wide variety of skills and provide a stable source of employment, throughout the project lifecycle which include startup, exploration, feasibility drilling, construction, and operations.

Approximately 10,000 workdays are expected to be created during the well field development phase; approximately 40 per cent of which will be for positions requiring little or no direct experience.

NeToo Hydropower Project at Kenney Dam

The FNMPC first received a request for capacity support on the NeToo Hydropower Project in August 2017. Today, FNMPC is assisting Cheslatta Carrier Nation in exploring this project in collaboration with Rio Tinto. The vision is for a spillway and hydroelectric powerhouse to be built at the Kenney Dam site located southwest of Vanderhoof, B.C. NeToo means “our water” in the Cheslatta Carrier dialect.

For Cheslatta, the NeToo Hydropower Project is more than just an economic development endeavour. It is also about reclamation and environmental improvement. Should the project be found to be commercially viable, it will assist in regulating the flows in the Nechako Reservoir which comprises part of Cheslatta’s traditional territory. Currently, without the NeToo Hydropower Project in place, the occurrence of flooding makes core parts of Cheslatta territory unusable.

This project is in the investigative study phase. FNMPC is providing a range of services to Cheslatta to support their engagement on the project, including the use of FNMPC’s member developed Major Projects Assessment Standards,

which are helping to guide the terms of the environmental and habitat studies being carried out jointly between Rio Tinto and Cheslatta Carrier Nation.

Coastal Gas Link First Nation Equity Project

The FNMPC involvement in the Coastal Gas Link Equity Transaction (CGL) represents the most complex and intensive capacity development undertaking by the FNMPC to date.

In the spring of 2019, TC Energy announced that it would sell up to 75 per cent of the CGL project and that the sale would be conducted in two parts: 1) a commercial auction, and 2) a First Nation Set-Aside where the First Nations impacted by the project’s routing would be eligible to purchase equity in the project on commercial terms.

In May 2019, FNMPC members requested capacity support to participate in both the commercial process and the set-aside process. Within one moth of receiving the mandate, FNMPC assisted 12 First Nations in establishing a Limited Partnership under which they have participated in both sale processes, referred to as CGL First Nation Limited Partnership (FNLP).

While FNLP made it to the final round of bidding during the

Unlike other renewable sources such as wind or solar, geothermal provides a reliable and sustainable source of energy. Geothermal development activities result in lower long-term land disturbance than other conventional and renewable methods of power generation.

commercial process, a competitive cost of capital necessary to complete the purchase of the equity could not be sourced, and FNLP was forced to leave the process. While disappointing, this result has provided FNMPC with a real time example of the challenges First Nations face in raising financing in the capital markets for equity

investment in major projects. FNMPC has used this experience to further its work in assisting First Nations in breaking down these barriers for future major project opportunities.

Currently, FNMPC continues to provide advice and support to FNLP for their participation in the First

Nations set-aside component of the equity transaction.

FNMPC has assisted FNLP First Nations in designing the project governance in a manner that has put community leadership in direct control of the day-to-day decisionmaking through a management committee. This was specifically designed to help FNLP communities build business capacity.

FNMPC’s support in the CGL Equity Transaction demonstrates the organization’s abilities to support its members with capacity and coordination services on large, complex, and commercially competitive transactions.

More About FNMPL

For 60 years, Spartan has provided customers with high performance solutions, industry expertise, lifecycle support, and technical training—delivering value our customers want.

Our automation solutions are used in all process industries including mining, pulp and paper, chemical, power, pipeline, municipal, and oil and gas. We are dedicated to providing exceptional customer experiences where expertise and collaboration come together.

The First Nations Major Projects Coalition is a collective group of First Nations, both elected and hereditary, who have made the decision to come together to advance our shared interests of gaining ownership in the major projects taking place in our territories. At the Coalition, we believe that economic opportunities must go hand in hand with environmental stewardship which is why we also provide technical support to First Nations in conducting impact assessments and environmental reviews in accordance with their laws and values. We are paving the way for a brighter future in this country – one that will bring about positive outcomes in terms of Indigenous peoples having a greater role in the economy and in terms of the environmental legacies we will leave for the enjoyment of our future generations. p

BURNABY • KELOWNA • PRINCE GEORGE • FORT ST. JOHN • PRINCE RUPERT • KITIMAT www.spartancontrols.com // info@spartancontrols.com

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With our workforce at peak numbers, July marked an exciting month as the Wilde Lake Compressor Station surpassed 90 per cent overall completion, and Coastal GasLink is nearing 70 per cent overall construction completion. Hydrotesting was a focus for crews at Wilde Lake, and Sections 1 and 2. Significant progress has been made to advance construction on Cable Crane Hill in the Coast Mountains and access to the Headwall in the Rocky Mountains. Both are special sections on the route with incredibly steep slopes.

Groundbirch Connector achieves 100 per cent pipe installation

The 3.2-kilometre Groundbirch Connector Pipeline is a small, but future-focused line that allows for additional gas delivery to the Wilde Lake Compressor Station, the “beating heart” of the Coastal GasLink Pipeline network. Recently, the Groundbirch Connector achieved 100 per cent pipe installation with crews completing the final weld at the end of July. This pipeline includes a launcher and receiver assembly at either end, enabling future in-line inspections to be completed to ensure safety and reliability throughout the long-term lifecycle of the pipeline. Currently, final clean-up and reclamation activities remain ongoing to ensure the pipeline footprint is properly restored.

For more information, such as construction updates and an interactive map, visit CoastalGasLink.com.

Coastal GasLink’s Construction Monitoring and Community Liaison Program puts collaboration with communities into action

Indigenous collaboration, feedback, and consultation is a core component of Coastal GasLink’s Extraordinary Legacy. Our Construction Monitoring and Community Liaison (CMCL) Program features 11 coordinators and 43 advisors who are members of all 20 First Nations along the Project route, including Kitselas Elder Edward Innes. Our CMCLs observe our construction progress on their traditional territories and report back to their

communities. Recently, Innes visited Cable Crane Hill alongside some of our Coastal GasLink team members to see the crane in full operation. Coastal GasLink is honoured to work with community members such as Innes to ensure preserving and celebrating Indigenous traditions, territories, and cultural values are at the forefront of all we do. p

Coastal Gaslink's Construction Monitoring and Community Liaison Program.

ARBIOS FACILITY NAMED CHUNTOH GHUNA – "THE FOREST LIVES"

Innovation’s Innovative Clean Energy Fund; and the Department of Natural Resources Canada’s Clean Growth Program.

The Lheidli T’enneh First Nation and Arbios Biotech have been working in close partnership to develop their commercial scale renewable biofuels facility in Prince George. The facility, located on the unceded and traditional territory of the Lheidli T’enneh, is now known as Arbios Biotech Chuntoh Ghuna and means ‘The Forest Lives’.

“Having a plant name in Lheidli T’enneh’s dialect, Dakelh, has great significance for our Nation members” says Chief Dolleen Logan of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation. “It demonstrates an observance of our ancestral lands and culture, and it shows that it is possible for Indigenous communities and industry to work in harmony towards environmentally sound and mutually beneficial objectives. We are excited to be involved in a project that aligns with our environmental goals.”

A phased approach is being taken for the development of Arbios Biotech Chuntoh Ghuna, which will initially consist of one processing line. The facility will use the innovative Cat-HTR process to convert 25,000 dry tonnes of woody biomass including sawmill wood residue into 50,000 barrels of sustainable bio-oil per year, producing a direct substitute for fossil crude.

As an important step towards increasing the availability of low-carbon transportation fuels, the project is receiving strong support from both federal and provincial government programs, including receiving credits under B.C.’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction (Renewable and Low Carbon Fuel Requirements) Act; funding from Sustainable Development Technology Canada; the Ministry of Energy and Mines and Low Carbon

Arbios Biotech is a joint venture between technology pioneers Licella Holdings Ltd. and integrated forest products company Canadian Forest Products Ltd. Arbios Biotech uses cutting edge technology to convert end-of-life wood and biomass into renewable biofuels and biochemicals. Licella is a global leader in the field of hydrothermal liquefaction. The company has dedicated over a decade to developing its patented Cat-HTR™ ('Catalytic Hydrothermal Reactor') platform that produces lowcarbon biocrude (a renewable and sustainable bio-oil for the circular economy), from which low-carbon transportation fuels and chemicals can be produced.

“We are honoured and delighted that the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation have named our first commercial scale facility,” says Alan Nicholl, President and CEO, Arbios Biotech. “We are pleased with the support and collaborative approach the Nation has taken with respect to this project. We look forward to continuing to work together as we strategically use our resources to bridge to a lower carbon future and use advanced technology to drive higher environmental and economic value from lower value residues.” p

PORT EDWARD LNG

Not LNG as you know it

Port Edward LNG is a small-scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility proposed to be located on the slope of Mount Stewart, east of Watson Island and near Galloway Rapids in Port Edward. It proposes to export 150,000 tonnes of LNG per year and be operational by 2023.

This is not LNG as you know it — this facility would be just over one per cent of the size of a large LNG project, liquefying gas for export in small quantities via conventional container ship leaving from the Prince Rupert Port.

An environmental assessment is not required as the project is not large enough to trigger one, and the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission granted Port Edward LNG permits for site preparation work in September 2021. In January 2022, Port Edward LNG signed a contract with the Pacific Northern Gas (PNG) pipeline to build a feeder pipeline to supply gas. This will be part of PNG's upgrade and expansion which they are calling Western Transmission Gas Pipeline (approved by the BC Utilities Commission in late 2021). Work on the pipeline is in progress.

The Port Edward small-scale LNG facility is the latest project to offer the potential for rate relief for existing customers of PNG.

The utility’s customers west of Vanderhoof to the coast have for years endured the highest gas delivery rates in the province because PNG lost a series of large

industrial customers — and their revenue — over time. It is noted that this natural gas pipeline is only used at 35 per cent capacity right now and this LNG project will be able to increase the usage of the existing pipeline. Two pulp mill closures, one in Kitimat and the other near Port Edward, and the decision by chemical giant Methanex to shutter its natural gas-using, methanol-producing plant in Kitimat increasingly left PNG’s existing residential, small business and commercial customers paying the full cost of maintaining the utility’s largely empty pipeline.

This project would be built and operated on the traditional territories of the Tsimshian communities. The Port Edward LNG team is proud of the relationships that they have built with First Nations and Indigenous communities who have been stewards of this area for centuries. They are working hard to ensure this meaningful engagement and dialogue continues.

Construction of this facility is expected to start in 2023.

For more information about Port Edward LNG, visit www.portedwardlng.com. p

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SITE C ON TRACK FOR COMPLETION IN 2025

Located in northeast British Columbia, BC Hydro’s Site C Clean Energy Project will be the third dam and hydroelectric generating station on the Peace River.

Construction on Site C began in July 2015 and the project is on schedule to have all six generating units fully inservice in fall 2025.

Once the project is up and running, Site C will provide British Columbians with 1,100 megawatts of firm capacity and produce about 5,100 gigawatt hours of clean electricity each year. This is the equivalent amount of energy needed to reliably power about 450,000 homes or 1.7 million electric vehicles per year in British Columbia.

This $16-billion project near Fort St. John includes an earthfill dam that is 1,050-metres long, 60 metres high and nearly 500 metres wide, a generating station with six 183-megawatt generating units, and an 800-metre roller-compacted-concrete buttress to enhance seismic protection.

Outside of the dam site area, the project includes an 83-kilometre-long reservoir, a new substation, two new 500-kilovolt, 75-kilometre-long transmission lines connecting Site C to the BC Hydro grid, and the realignment of about 30 kilometres of local highway due to the creation of the future reservoir.

The new Site C substation is on the left, the spillways, powerhouse and operations building at centre, with the earthfill dam under construction along the Peace River to the right.

A look inside the Site C powerhouse. Turbines will be installed at the centre of each spiral station.

There are six penstocks at the Site C dam, which will channel water from the reservoir into the powerhouse. Each penstock is 10 metres in diameter and 80 metres in length.

Aerial view shows Site C's spillways, penstocks, powerhouse and operations building for BC Hydro's third dam along the Peace River.

Construction on Site C is more than two-thirds complete. The powerhouse building structure is finished, the substation and transmission lines are already in service and work on the earthfill dam is about 70 per cent complete. In the coming year, work will continue on the earthfill dam to reach the necessary elevation gains in preparation for reservoir filling.

The project hit peak construction in summer 2022 with more than 5,000 workers. Nearly 70 per cent of workers are from British Columbia and approximately 1,000 workers are from the local Peace Region in the province. At any given time, there are 300 - 400 Indigenous people working on the project.

The Site C project is located within the traditional territories of the Treaty 8 First Nations. To date, benefit agreements have been reached with most Treaty 8 First Nations impacted by the project. Indigenous-designated businesses have also been awarded more than $630

million in Site C procurement opportunities.

British Columbia’s electricity needs are expected to grow by almost 40 per cent over the next 20 years —driven by a projected increase of more than one million people, economic expansion, and a critical need to decarbonize the economy through electrification.

The Site C project plays a key role in British Columbia’s plan to electrify its economy by encouraging customers to choose clean electricity powered by water over fossil fuels. p

BRIDGES, STRUCTURAL STEEL, FOUNDATION, ROADS, CIVIL

INTERNET UPGRADE

High-speed internet accessibility planned for Coastal B.C.

The Connected Coast project plans to place subsea fibre-optic cable, stretching from Prince Rupert south to Vancouver, then around Vancouver Island. In total, it is estimated that the project has the potential to benefit 175,000 British Columbians, living in 90,000 households.

The impact of the project and the opportunities it will provide to these communities will be enormous. Access to reliable high-speed internet means that residents will be able to access online learning and health services, emergency notifications, news, and participate in online discussions and sharing. It will also open new economic development opportunities for residents who will be able to work remotely and participate in e-commerce and online business development.

The project is managed and implemented by CityWest and the Strathcona Regional District (SRD), who together form the Connected Coast Partnership. The two organizations initially submitted individual projects but realized improved services for both areas could be attained by connecting the two networks.

By providing links from Northern B.C. and around Vancouver Island to the internet exchange in Vancouver, the infrastructure will increase service reliability for residents on the mainland, on the island and in rural and remote coastal communities by providing an alternate route for service, known as a redundancy.

Another benefit is reduced project cost as the two partners are able to pool resources and share costs.

The Connected Coast Partnership is actively working to engage and consult with local communities, regional districts, First Nations, and local internet service providers (ISPs) to ensure the project meets the needs of communities now and in the future. The Connected Coast Partnership will also work with local ISPs, communities and anchor institutions that are interested in upgrading their local networks to allow for last-mile connections to the infrastructure.

Overall, the project will cost an estimated $45.4 million to provide 159 landing sites. The SRD will receive $32.5 million and CityWest will receive $12.9 million to construct the required high-speed infrastructure along the B.C. coast from north of Prince Rupert, to Haida Gwaii, south to Vancouver, and around Vancouver Island. Funding for the project is provided by the Government of Canada’s Connect to Innovate (CTI) program, Indigenous Services Canada, and the Province of B.C. through the Connecting British Columbia program administered by Northern Development Initiative Trust.

For more information, visit www.connectedcoast.ca. p

Cable reels being loaded on the Gitga’at Transporter for the cable deploying ship in Hartley Bay. PHOTOS COURTESY OF CONNECTED COAST.

WHAT IS UNDRIP?

The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) is an important document that affirms the rights of Indigenous people around the world. In British Columbia, UNDRIP is helping to protect the rights of Indigenous people to their traditional lands and natural resources. UNDRIP provides a framework for negotiations between Indigenous peoples and governments, and it sets out clear guidelines for how decisions should be made about land and resource use.

UNDRIP is also helping to ensure that Indigenous peoples are consulted about developments on their traditional lands, and that they benefit from natural resources in a fair and just manner. In British Columbia, UNDRIP is making a positive difference in the lives of Indigenous people, and it is helping to protect our natural heritage for future generations.

The Province is releasing the Declaration Act Action Plan, developed in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous Peoples, outlining 89 specific actions every ministry in government will take to create a better province for Indigenous Peoples in B.C.

“This plan is a first for any government in the world. It will drive transformative change in the relationship with Indigenous Peoples and help us build a brighter future for everyone,” said Premier John

Horgan. “By working together in partnership, we are creating more opportunities, better jobs, and stronger environment protections. This is a roadmap that builds on the progress we have made – a new way forward and another important step towards meaningful reconciliation.”

British Columbia is the first province to release an action plan dedicated to implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UN Declaration) in Canada. The plan was developed with Indigenous Peoples, First Nations, and organizations through intensive consultation. This significant engagement ensures the plan reflects the priorities of Indigenous Peoples – First Nations, Métis and Inuit – living in B.C.

The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People Act (Declaration Act) includes a requirement that government work with Indigenous Peoples on implementing the Action Plan, as well as reporting out on progress on implementation through an annual report. The annual report must be developed in consultation and co-operation with Indigenous Peoples and must be submitted to the B.C. Legislature by June 30 each year.

The Declaration Act Action Plan will be comprehensively updated with Indigenous partners within five years.

Quick Facts:

• On Nov. 28, 2019, B.C. became the first jurisdiction in Canada to implement the UN Declaration through legislation by passing the Declaration Act.

• The Declaration Act Action Plan includes commitments to:

– recognize Indigenous Peoples’ inherent rights, interests and legal orders;

– support Indigenous students to lead graduation rates and pursue to their own excellence;

– enable all Indigenous Peoples to live free from racism and discrimination;

– share decision-making and pursue new fiscal relationships;

– improve the health and wellbeing of Indigenous families; and

– end the epidemic of Indigenous children in government care.

To learn more about UNDRIP and B.C.’s Declaration Act Action Plan, visit www.declaration.gov.bc.ca. p

HYDROGEN GENERATION: AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIVERSIFY B.C.’S ENERGY SYSTEM

Director at BCBN. “We are pleased by the dedication of our expert working group to advancing the low-carbon economy in B.C.”

Hydrogen is building momentum nationally and internationally and will play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and diversifying our energy system. With the pending release of the Canadian National Hydrogen Strategy, BC Bioenergy Network (BCBN) has announced

the completion of a business case analyzing potential hydrogen production by British Columbia’s pulp and paper sector.

“This was a remarkable collaboration involving B.C.’s forest sector, FortisBC, industry associations, and Provincial research institutions,” said Scott Stanners, Executive

The premise for the study is for pulp mills to incorporate electrolysis into their operations using renewable electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. It investigated multiple end-use applications for hydrogen, including sale to the transportation and industrial gas markets, internal use at the mill, and blending with the natural gas network.

“The transportation sector was identified as the key driver for the business case,” says Jeff Grant, Principal at Zen Clean Energy Solutions. “The demand for low carbon intensity hydrogen in B.C. is expected to grow with increased utilization by the zero-emissions transportation sector as well as the province’s commitment to make natural gas cleaner with a minimum 15 per cent to come from renewable gas”

The study determined that mills could be ideal sites for hydrogen production as they have access to significant energy infrastructure with concentrated demand for gaseous heating fuel and oxygen. A

What is Renewable Natural Gas (RNG)?

What makes RNG carbon neutral?

Where does RNG come from?

Carbon dioxide and methane are collected

Carbon dioxide and methane are collected

Purified methane (RNG) is added to our existing system

Purified methane (RNG) is added to our existing system

As waste decomposes, it releases gases into the atmosphere.

As waste decomposes, it releases gases into the atmosphere.

To produce RNG, those same gases are captured (preventing them from entering the atmosphere), then purified and used in our system the same way as conventional natural gas without adding more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

To produce RNG, those same gases are captured (preventing them from entering the atmosphere), then purified and used in our system the same way as conventional natural gas without adding more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

As our RNG supply grows, less conventional gas is used. In 2021 we almost tripled our RNG supply from 2020 and are on track to more than triple it again in 2022. Our vision is to have 75 per cent of our total gas supply be renewable or low carbon by 2050 to meet the province’s 80 per cent greenhouse gas reduction target. That’s energy at work. Learn more about this exciting energy innovation at fortisbc.com/whatisRNG.

Connect with us @fortisbc

lighthouse project that demonstrates the advantages of integrating an industrial site such as a pulp mill with hydrogen production could help launch the renewable hydrogen economy in B.C.

“This pre-feasibility study indicates B.C.’s pulp and paper mills are ideally

suited for hydrogen production as they have significant energy and utility infrastructure as well as on-site demand for process heat and oxygen,” says Bob Lindstrom, Manager of the BC Pulp & Paper BioAlliance. “Pulp mills could support the new emerging energy landscape and provide a key building block

for future investment in hydrogen solutions across B.C.”

The study also recognized that electrolyzer projects require large up-front capital investments, generate lengthy returns on investment, and require lowcost power to drive stable longterm demand for the hydrogen gas. Recognizing these hurdles to implementation reveals the necessity for a more in-depth economic analysis.

“This study demonstrates a potential novel approach to help decarbonize B.C.’s transport and energy sectors,” says Sybil Seitzinger, Executive Director, Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions. “This type of green hydrogen innovation could support the increased production of renewable gas and provide carbonfree fuel, while also helping the forestry industry diversify and compete.”

FortisBC identified hydrogen as a key component of its strategy to meet their 30BY30 target as identified by John Quinn, Senior Manager, Renewable Gas Supply at FortisBC. “Hydrogen generation at a B.C. pulp mill will facilitate the development of the hydrogen economy and allow integration into the gas system.”

BCBN is an industry-led association that acts as a catalyst for deploying near-term low carbon technologies and organizing mission-driven research for the development and demonstration of sustainable energy system capability in B.C. p

WORLD-LEADING LNG PROJECT ON TREATY LANDS

Ksi Lisims LNG "from the Nass River” in the Nisga’a language, is a proposed 12-million-tonne-per-year liquefied natural gas (LNG) project north of Prince Rupert, B.C. near the Nisga’a village of Gingolx. The project proponents with the Nisga’a Nation include Rockies LNG and Western LNG.

Ksi Lisims LNG’s governance structure provides each project proponent – the Nisga’a Nation, Rockies LNG and Western LNG – with meaningful input into project development, management and operations, ensuring it is designed and operated in a manner consistent with the Nisga’a Nation’s commitment to stewardship of the land and its people.

Ksi Lisims LNG will be located at Wil Milit, approximately 15 kilometres east of Gingolx, on treaty land owned in fee simple by the Nisga’a Nation. The proposed

site consists of undeveloped, but previously logged, land near existing shipping routes.

Ksi Lisims LNG plans to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions associated with the LNG facility within three years of start-up and will provide energy markets in Asia with low carbon, reliable energy that helps meet growing energy needs and supports continued growth in intermittent renewables such as wind and solar.

Ksi Lisims LNG’s pathway to net zero includes the use of renewable power in combination with strong monitoring and measurement, energy efficiency, purchase of carbon offsets, and potential carbon sequestration and storage.

Ksi Lisims LNG will generate significant social and economic benefits, including public revenues, jobs, training and businesses opportunities for Indigenous

Nations and other communities in the region. Total direct and indirect economic impact related to the Ksi Lisims facility, infrastructure and upstream activities is estimated at approximately $55 billion.

Ksi Lisims LNG is in the early planning stages with environmental assessment work, Indigenous and community engagement, and preliminary engineering currently underway.

With regulatory approvals and final investment decisions by the project partners, construction could begin in 2024 with the site operational in late 2027 or 2028.

Ksi Lisims LNG filed the Environmental Assessment application with the BC Environmental Assessment Office in April 2022 and expect to start the environmental process in 2023. p

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY IN B.C.

British Columbia generates nearly all of its electricity by harnessing the power of flowing water, a clean and renewable source. The rest comes from forest biomass, wind, natural gas, solar, and landfill gas. There are a number of projects currently operating or in the advanced planning stages that take advantage of the natural resources of B.C.

FOREST BIOMASS

West Fraser Lumber

West Fraser Lumber has several projects in B.C. where they generate energy from sawmill residuals. Their Fraser Lake and Chetwynd mills are embarking on two exciting renewable bioenergy projects. The mills are developing North America’s largest biomass power generators. These unique, innovative bioenergy generators - called “ORCs” –

are a first for West Fraser. ORC stands for a process called “Organic Rankine Cycle,” a type of energy system that relies on a closed-loop cycle of working liquid to generate electricity.

The ORCs will replace Chetwynd and Fraser Lake's current sawmill residuals burners. The ORC energy systems are the largest applications, worldwide, designed specifically for power generation from biomass. They are an innovative, energy-efficient choice of technology which offers environmental benefits by reducing particulate matter and emissions.

Canada’s Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program presented an opportunity for Cariboo Pulp & Paper not only to be more energy efficient and improve our pulp production processes – but to also transform the operation as a green power producer.

Mike Morris, MLA

Mike Morris, MLA

Prince George-Mackenzie

Unit 102, 1023 Central Street West, Prince George, BC V2M 3C9

Tel: 250-612-4194 Fax: 250-612-4191 Email: mike.morris.mla@leg.bc.ca

Cariboo Pulp & Paper Turbo Generator

Funding from the program enabled Cariboo Pulp & Paper to install a 27-megawatt co-generation turbo generator. The condensing steam co-generation turbo generator uses wood waste to generate power and steam for the mill’s operation. Not only does it produce power for the site, it will also supply enough green biomass power to B.C.’s provincial grid to power more than 14,500 homes annually.

To increase strength and structural stability, lumber must be dried before it is packaged and shipped. West Fraser dries lumber in large ovens, called kilns, which bake the wood to a low moisture level. These kilns can be a major consumer of electrical energy. West Fraser’s Williams Lake Sawmill developed a new automation and control technology that significantly improves the energy efficiency of lumber drying kilns. Fully automated, the system controls all of the kiln’s energy inputs to optimize the lumber drying cycle while maintaining the quality of the dried lumber. The system is very effective. Just one kiln using this energy management technology saves 400,000 kilowatt hours in one year – the same as the energy use of 36 homes.

BC Hydro honoured West Fraser with an Energy Manager Award in 2012 for developing this innovative system to improve the energy efficiency of lumber drying kilns.

As part of a larger environmental improvement and energy conservation program, Quesnel River Pulp installed new heat exchangers that are much more energy efficient to run and reduce the pulp mill’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The project was possible through support from FortisBC’s Industrial Technology Retrofit Program. The program encourages large industrial customers to improve the energy efficiency of their operations. Quesnel River Pulp’s new heat exchangers capture the waste heat from the wastewater more efficiently and as a result, reduce the demand for natural gas in the pulp drying process. Converting to more energy efficient heat exchangers saves approximately the same amount of natural gas consumed each year by 650 residential homes.

WIND POWER

British Columbia has some of the strongest, most consistent wind regimes in Canada and the ideal hydro resource base to integrate wind power. B.C. also has vast offshore wind potential, particularly along the north coast where the seabed is flat, the water is shallow, and winds are strong. For every 15 megawatts produced, this is enough to power 4,500 homes a year.

Some of BC’s operating wind power projects include:

Pennask Wind Farm

This 15-megawatt wind energy facility located near Kelowna started in the fall of 2017 with five wind turbines.

Shinish Creek Wind Farm

This 15-megawatt wind energy facility located near Summerland started in the fall of 2017 with five wind turbines.

Cape Scott Wind

This 99-megawatt wind energy facility located on the northern tip of Vancouver Island started in the fall of 2013 with 55 wind turbines.

Dokie Ridge Wind Farm

This 144-megawatt wind energy facility located near Chetwynd started in the fall of 2011 with 48 wind turbines.

Bear Mountain Wind Park

This 102-megawatt wind energy facility located near Dawson Creek started in the fall of 2009 with 34 wind turbines.

Meikle Wind Project

This 179-megawatt wind energy facility located near Tumbler Ridge started in the fall of 2015 with 61 wind turbines.

Moose Lake Wind

This 15-megawatt wind energy facility located near Tumbler Ridge started in 2019 with four wind turbines.

Quality Wind

This 142-megawatt wind energy facility located near Tumbler Ridge started in 2012 with 79 wind turbines.

Sukunka Wind Energy Project

This 15-megawatt wind energy facility located near Lone Prairie started in 2021 with four wind turbines.

SOLAR

British Columbia’s most effective solar resources are located in the northeast and southern interior of the province, with additional potential along the southeast coast of Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.

Kimberly SunMine

The first community solar project started in B.C. in 2015 in Kimberley with the completion of the SunMine solar electricity facility. The $5.3-million SunMine Project has 4,032 solar-cell modules, mounted on 96 solar trackers which follow the sun’s movement to maximize solar exposure.

B.C.'s largest solar project, Canada's largest solar tracking facility, and the first solar project in B.C. to sell power to the BC Hydro grid, SunMine provides 1 megawatt peak production or enough to power about 250 homes in B.C. SunMine began commercial operation in 2015. In 2019, the City of Kimberley sold SunMine to Teck Resources Limited.

Tsilhqot’in Solar Farm

The Tsilhqot’in Solar Farm is a 1.25-megawatt solar photovoltaic farm on the former River West sawmill in the Chilcotin near Hanceville, B.C. The region is Tsilhqot’in traditional territory, and the sawmill and adjacent lands are owned by the Tsilhqot’in National Government. The Tsilhqot’in Solar Farm is the largest of its kind in the province, and it is the only one that is 100 per cent owned and operated by a First Nations community.

Owned, constructed, and operated by the Tsilhqot’in Nation through its economic arm, Dandzen Development LP, the solar farm, located along Highway 20 at the River West Forest Products site, will generate approximately 1,500 megawatt hours of electricity annually. A 25-year electricity purchase agreement with BC Hydro will expire in 2045.

LANDFILL GAS

Salmon Arm Landfill Gas Capture Project

In 2010 the first phase of the Salmon Arm landfill was closed, and a series of gas collection wells were installed to capture methane gas, which is created by the breakdown of garbage in a closed landfill.

Through a partnership with FortisBC the methane gas collected is being processed and upgraded to pipeline quality, which is then being delivered to the FortisBC pipeline for distribution to homes and businesses in Salmon Arm. This project has garnered national attention, is being used as a model to show other local governments that turning waste into resources is possible and has helped the CSRD become carbon neutral

DISTRICT ENERGY SYSTEMS

The facilities featured below use biomass as a fuel to produce steam or hot water at a central plant. This steam or hot water is then pumped underground for space heating and to provide domestic hot water to a number of buildings in a local cluster.

Centre of Excellence for Clean Energy Technology, Northern Lights College

Housed in the new Centre of Excellence for Clean Energy Technology, the wood pellet boiler system will be used as a training facility for renewable energy technologists.

Nazko Valley Elementary School & Community Centre

A 60,000-square-foot school and community centre, in a village 100 kilometres west of Quesnel, was converted from using propane to wood pellets as a fuel for heat in 2008.

Haidi Gwaii Energy

The village of Old Massett is employing a high-tech wood biomass boiler by way of a centralized heating system for their main community buildings. These buildings are comprised of a community hall, band office, health centre, social development and child family services building, and an elementary school.

Prince George District Energy System

The biomass-based Prince George District Energy System (DES) provides heating for several landmark buildings in downtown Prince George while reducing 1,900 tonnes of greenhouse gases per year. The state-of-the-art district energy system takes what was previously considered waste heat from Lakeland sawmill and transfers it via insulated piping to heat the downtown core of the city, a move that makes sense financially, environmentally, and socially.

False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Utility System

The Neighbourhood Energy Utility (NEU) uses waste thermal energy captured from sewage in Vancouver to provide space heating and hot water to new buildings in Southeast False Creek (SEFC). This captured energy eliminates more than 60 per cent of the global warming pollution associated with heating buildings. The utility is self-funded, and it provides a return on investment to city taxpayers while providing cost-competitive rates to

customers. The NEU was established in 2010 and served the former Olympic Village.

Whistler District Energy System

The District Energy System provides about 95 per cent of the energy needed for space and water heating in Cheakamus Crossing by extracting low-temperature ambient heat from treated wastewater effluent through the Waste Water Treatment Plant. Heat exchangers in the treatment plant capture the heat from the effluent flow and pump temperate water through an insulated underground distribution system to heat pumps in each building.

Port Alberni Industrial/Municipal Energy System

The City of Port Alberni has been looking for ways to reduce the community’s greenhouse gas emissions, capture carbon credits, create green jobs, and develop nontax revenue sources. An ‘Integrated Resource Recovery Study’ done in 2010 showed that a fibre-based biomass district energy system was feasible and would accomplish those goals. p

International Brotherhood of Boilermakers

Lakewood Electric Ltd. ..................................................3

Local Rental Solutions 32

Mike Morris, MLA, Prince George-Mackenzie 34

Omineca Fabricating 30

Prince George Portable Toilet Services Ltd. 23

Progressive Ventures Construction Ltd.

Rentco Equipment Ltd. 5

Sandman Hotel Group Prince George 15

Spartan Controls 22