Canada is looking to develop its liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry. Credit: Christo Anestev from Pixabay.

LNG Canada, an LNG site in Kitimat, British Columbia, is now more than 95% complete and remains on course to deliver its first cargoes by the middle of 2025.

A few weeks ago, natural gas was sent to the facility for the first time from the new Coastal GasLink pipeline, enabling other start-up activities such as flaring to go ahead.

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Flaring is a process involving the combustion of natural gas with a visible flame. It is required to ensure a safe start-up process, but once the facility is up and running it will occur much less frequently, the company said in a statement.

A fleet of zero and low-emissions tugboats have also been deployed at the site. HaiSea Marine, a joint venture between Haisla Nation and Vancouver-based Seaspan, will operate the five tugboats, three of which are electric. The tugboats will support LNG cargoes coming to and from the site.

LNG Canada pointed out that the facility is based on the traditional territory of the Haisla people, who have occupied the land for more than 9,000 years.

The shipping route passes through the marine territories of Gitga’at First Nation, Gitxaala Nation, Metlakatla First Nation and the Lax Kw’alaams Band.

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The project has the full support of the indigenous communities, the company claims.

The value of contracts and procurement awarded to indigenous-owned businesses is around C$4.1bn ($3bn), with C$5bn going to British Columbia as a whole.

Although the project is on track, it has faced strong criticism. In a report in June, the International Institute for Sustainable Development said that the project was not worth taking on as it will undermine Canada’s climate commitments through increased upstream and midstream emissions.

It also claimed that demand for LNG has already peaked in key export markets such as Europe and South Korea, damaging the business case for the project.