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VICTORIA — The British Columbia government is exempting a utility company that plans to expand its liquefied natural gas plant in Metro Vancouver, allowing the $2-billion investment to move ahead.
Energy Minister Adrian Dix says the government has issued an order-in-council that will exempt Fortis BC from getting a permit, requiring the company to show that the proposed expansion of the Tilbury LNG facility in Delta, B.C. protects the public interest.
Normally, developers need to obtain a certificate of public convenience and necessity from the B.C. Utilities Commission before starting or expanding a public utility plant or system.
Dix says skipping that step will save time and allow the expansion to proceed, clearing the way for investments, the creation of 1,100 jobs during construction and $260 million in tax revenues.
The Tilbury site has been in operation since 1971 as a natural gas storage facility to be used at peak demand, but it’s now producing LNG for vessels and is working with the Vancouver Port authority to develop a marine refuelling service.
Dix says LNG is significantly cleaner than conventional marine fuels such as diesel, and the expansion will play a role in decarbonizing domestic and global shipping.
“What we are talking about here is action that will bring prosperity and progress to the province, improve our emissions reductions, improve the competitiveness of our port and invest in B.C. at a time when surely that is important for our province,” he says.
The government says in a statement that speeding up the approval process provides greater regulatory certainty and optimizes the overall investment by FortisBC.
It says that the project will remain subject to all other applicable regulatory approvals and permitting requirements before construction, which could start by the middle of next year with operation starting as early as 2031.
David Hutchins, CEO of Fortis Inc, says the Tilbury expansion supports the movement of goods and materials, and builds on the company’s partnership with government and First Nations.
“Tilbury increases the utilization of our energy system, which helps lower costs for our customers, while supporting the economic growth and trade through our largest Canadian port here (in Vancouver).”
Roger Dall’Antonia, president of FortisBC, says the LNG facility already supplies two local customers, Seaspan Ferries and BC Ferries, and the expansion will help position Vancouver as a leading LNG marine fuelling hub on North America’s West Coast.
“I want to really pause and thank the province, in particular Minister Dix, for their leadership in approving the regulatory amendments to make this project expansion possible,” he says.
The province also says that another proposed expansion of the facility, known as Tilbury Phase 2, continues to work its way through B.C.’s environmental assessment process, with the public able to comment until July 27, 2026.
Government says a decision for Phase 2 is anticipated in late 2026.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2026.
Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press
