REALITY CHECK: Premier’s LNG deal lets foreign-owned corporation set environmental policy for B.C.

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Premier Christy Clark negotiated an LNG deal that benefits foreign-owned corporations first, and puts British Columbia last.

New Democrats, like most British Columbians, want to see an LNG industry that protects our air, land and water, including our climate change commitments. But the premier’s LNG deal lets Petronas help write its own environmental regulations.15-0710LNGEnviroTwitter

  • FACT: The Project Development Agreement signed by the B.C. Liberal government with Pacific Northwest LNG gives the company the right to negotiate with the government on the environmental regulations that will come into force when the Greenhouse Gas Industrial Reporting and Control Act is enacted. These rules will apply to all future LNG facilities as well.
  • FACT: The rules the company helps write will be locked in for 25 years, meaning a future government that wants to improve environmental measures will have to pay the company back for any costs it incurs as a result.
  • FACT: The agreement also protects the company from changes to the carbon tax on LNG production for 25 years.
  • FACT: The government already legislated an exemption of 70 per cent of GHG emissions from the benchmark LNG facilities are required to meet.

Quote from New Democrat spokesperson on the environment Spencer Chandra Herbert:
“The Premier has utterly failed to get an agreement that benefits British Columbia. This deal shows she’s willing to sell out our environment, and to ignore our urgent need to drive down climate change emissions now and in the years ahead. It’s clear Petronas calls the tune and this government jumps, leaving our land, air, water, and climate to suffer.”