FortisBC’s Delta Phase 2 expansion moves forward with environmental assessment certificate

The B.C. government has issued FortisBC an environmental assessment certificate for Phase 2 of the liquefied natural gas facility expansion on Tilbury Island in Delta. The certificate is required before the project can proceed.

Environment and Parks Minister Tamara Davidson and Energy and Climate Solutions Minister Adrian Dix made the decision after considering the Environmental Assessment Office’s report and recommendations, as well as input from First Nations, technical experts and the public, the province said. The certificate includes 18 legally binding conditions.

The Environmental Assessment Office concluded that the project would not cause significant adverse effects if mitigation measures and proposed conditions are applied. It conducted the assessment for both the provincial and federal governments, allowing one assessment to support decisions by both levels of government. A federal decision on Phase 2 is still pending.

The proposed expansion includes a new LNG storage tank with a working volume of 142,400 cubic metres, liquefaction capacity of up to 7,700 tonnes per day, natural-gas receiving facilities and supporting infrastructure within the existing facility area. The site is on the northern portion of the Hopcott Road property and was added to the provincial government’s priority major-projects list this year.