SQUAMISH – Green Party of Canada Co-Leader Jonathan Pedneault met with Lauren Greenlaw, Green Party candidate for West Vancouver\u2013Sunshine Coast\u2013Sea to Sky Country, to discuss the urgent threats posed by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) expansion in British Columbia. This visit underscores the Green Party\u2019s commitment to fighting new fossil fuel infrastructure and advocating for sustainable, long-term energy solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCanada continues to subsidize fossil fuel projects, despite its international commitments to combat climate change,\u201d said Jonathan Pedneault. \u201cThe proposed LNG expansion in BC is another step in the wrong direction. It threatens local ecosystems, drives up energy costs, and undermines our transition to clean energy. Instead of locking ourselves into more fossil fuel dependency, we need to be investing in renewable solutions that protect both our economy and the environment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Green Party of Canada opposes all new fossil fuel infrastructure, including LNG terminals, pipelines, and refineries, unless they demonstrably reduce emissions in the long term. The LNG Canada project, which is backed by five foreign multinationals\u2014Shell (Netherlands), PETRONAS (Malaysia), PetroChina (China), Mitsubishi Corporation (Japan), and KOGAS (Korea)\u2014is not a Canadian company. Under Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (FIPPAs), these corporations are granted the same rights as domestic companies, meaning Canadian consumers will have to compete with foreign buyers for their own natural gas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBack in the 1980s the Woodfibre pulp mill polluted Howe Sound with toxic pollution of dioxins and furans. It took decades to bring back the health of the marine environment,\u201d said Elizabeth May, Green Party Co-Leader. \u201cNow the LNG plant called Woodfibre threatens the local restored ecosystem and global environment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The environmental risks of LNG expansion in Squamish are also deeply concerning. The proposed Woodfibre LNG terminal is located within a UNESCO world biosphere, home to previously thought-to-be-extinct glass sponge reefs, which are extremely fragile and irreplaceable. The project has failed to provide a cumulative impact assessment, leaving local communities in the dark about its long-term environmental and economic consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beyond the environmental threats, LNG expansion is worsening housing affordability in Squamish. The influx of temporary workers and increased industrial development is driving up housing prices and squeezing out local residents in a town that is already struggling with affordability and availability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Squamish is bearing the costs while foreign fossil fuel companies reap the benefits,” said Lauren Greenlaw. “This project is receiving $50 million in annual subsidies\u2014for just 100 long-term jobs. Meanwhile, taxpayers are being forced to subsidize pipeline infrastructure, and our community is left dealing with rising housing costs, environmental degradation, and increased risk from extreme weather events caused by climate change. We deserve better.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Green Party of Canada is calling on all levels of government to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCanada\u2019s future must be powered by clean, renewable energy, not more fossil fuel dependency,\u201d added Pedneault. \u201cIf we are serious about tackling the climate crisis, we must stop investing in projects that deepen our reliance on the very industries causing the problem. The Green Party stands firmly against LNG expansion and for a future that prioritizes people, nature, and a sustainable economy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For more information or to arrange an interview : <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Fabrice Lachance Nov\u00e9<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Press secretary<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 514-463-0021<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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