Article content

VICTORIA — Premier John Horgan offered billions of dollars worth of tax breaks to liquefied natural gas producers Thursday in a move to entice the construction of an export facility in Kitimat.

Environmental groups called it a reckless abandonment of the NDP’s climate promises and Green Leader Andrew Weaver said he might withdraw his support of the minority NDP government.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or B.C. Premier John Horgan offers tax breaks to boost LNG industry Back to video

Horgan said he hopes the exemptions, which forgo up to $6 billion in potential government revenue over 40 years, would lure the Shell-led LNG Canada project to make a final go-ahead decision this year on its $40-billion LNG proposal for Kitimat and an associated gas pipeline.

“This new approach is one that I believe British Columbians want to see from their government,” the premier told reporters at the legislature.

“If we can realize industrial development, spectacular. If we can do that within a framework that protects our environment and meets our climate objectives, brilliant. If we can ensure that genuine reconciliation can happen with Indigenous peoples, I believe we’ve not just checked all the boxes, but we’ve developed a framework that will mean something to British Columbia now and into the future.”

Horgan faced immediate opposition for encouraging the development of an LNG industry that will make it difficult to reach B.C.’s greenhouse gas reduction target of 40 per cent below 2007 emission levels by 2030.

“Today’s announcement is a new form of climate denial: The idea that we can build new fossil fuel projects that will cause millions of tonnes of additional emissions while reducing our emissions at the same time,” said Sierra Club B.C.’s climate campaigner, Jens Wieting. “By sweetening the pot for fracked gas export, the government is laying out a red carpet for investors to help destroy our climate.”

Photo by Don Craig | B.C. Government / PNG

Weaver said he won’t support the proposed changes, and will consider withdrawing his party’s support of the NDP later this fall if the government can’t produce a climate plan that shows how it will cut pollution while also adding eight million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually from LNG Canada.

“If you are going to add eight (megatonnes) on the top of about 64 (megatonnes) we have now, you’re going to have to show us the means and ways you are actually going to have to get to 40 per cent reductions,” he said, adding it would take “magic” to accomplish the feat. “Because our confidence (support of the NDP) is predicated on you showing us that.”