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However, the Green party said the government’s actions are hypocritical because they stray from its CleanBC plan to reduce carbon pollution.

In October, LNG Canada announced plans for a $40-billion project in Kitimat.

The government said the tax changes it is making will provide the fiscal framework needed for the project, which is expected to create 10,000 construction jobs and up to 950 permanent jobs in the processing terminal.

The new tax credit would go in effect on Jan. 1, 2020, to companies that qualify for it. It would be calculated at three per cent of the cost of natural gas and could be used to reduce B.C.’s corporate income tax rate from 12 to nine per cent.

The Finance Ministry said the previous LNG income tax was removed because it created uncertainty and risk to investors but the natural gas tax credit has been retained to encourage companies to pay provincial corporate income taxes. It said qualifying corporations would be those with a principal business involving oil and gas exploration, development, refining marketing or liquefaction of natural gas.

Green party Leader Andrew Weaver said in a statement the government’s actions are pulling the province in two different directions.

“Continuing to push for LNG development is short sighted and works directly against CleanBC objectives,” he said.

“After years of criticizing the B.C. Liberals for their generous giveaway of our natural gas resources, the B.C. NDP have taken the giveaway to a whole new level. The legislation brought forward by this province is a generational sellout.”