B.C. approves environmental assessment for major Tilbury LNG expansion

Floyd Brenz., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 22, 2026

Photo Courtesy: CBC News

CANADA – British Columbia has issued an environmental assessment certificate for FortisBC’s Tilbury Phase 2 LNG expansion, clearing a major regulatory hurdle for the project in Delta.

The certificate allows the company to move forward with the next permitting steps. The project would add a 142,400-cubic-metre storage tank, a new liquefaction facility and a natural gas receiving facility, with production capacity of up to 2.5 million tonnes of LNG per year.

The province said the expansion could generate up to 6,200 full-time-equivalent person-years of employment during construction and about 100 permanent operational jobs. FortisBC estimates the project could contribute around $1.7 billion to B.C.’s GDP during construction and about $700 million annually once operational.

The approval comes with 18 legally binding conditions covering areas including air quality, wildlife protection, greenhouse-gas reductions, health and emergency planning, and monitoring of impacts on First Nations.

The province says the expansion would also strengthen energy resilience in the Lower Mainland by increasing natural-gas storage and supply capacity during periods of peak demand. The project is part of the B.C. government’s broader Look West strategy focused on jobs and economic development.

The federal government also issued its decision on the project on Monday, determining that its potential adverse effects within federal jurisdiction were justified in light of the expected benefits.

With the environmental assessment decisions now in place, FortisBC still needs other required authorizations before construction can proceed, making the latest approval an important step but not the final project approval.