KITAMAAT VILLAGE, B.C. – The Haisla Nation-led Cedar LNG project received a major boost Tuesday with a $200 million provincial commitment to power the facility with clean hydroelectricity, a move leaders say will make it one of the lowest-emitting liquefied natural gas facilities in the world.
Premier David Eby, speaking alongside Haisla Nation Chief Councillor Maureen Nyce in Kitamaat Village, announced the funding agreement which will directly support the construction of crucial electrification infrastructure. The funds are earmarked for a new 287-kilovolt transmission line, a substation, and distribution lines required to connect the floating LNG terminal to B.C.’s power grid.
“By supporting Haisla Nation to power Cedar LNG with clean B.C. electricity, we’re taking another step in building a stronger economy,” said Premier Eby, framing the investment as a strategic move to position B.C. as a stable global energy partner.
Cedar LNG, a $4 billion USD project, is the world’s first to be majority-owned by an Indigenous Nation, with the Haisla Nation holding a 50.1 per cent stake in partnership with Pembina Pipeline Corporation. The project, which reached its final investment decision in June 2024, is expected to create 500 jobs during peak construction and around 100 full-time positions once operational. Its floating facility is currently under construction overseas and is scheduled for delivery in late 2028.
Chief Councillor Nyce emphasized that this clean power commitment was central to the Nation’s vision from the beginning. “Our vision for Cedar LNG was always predicated on being able to source the cleanest power option,” she said. “When Indigenous communities lead projects as owners… we are able to ensure that these projects are developed in the most environmentally responsible manner, while generating revenues that enable us to protect our way of life and build long-term prosperity.”
Nyce also paid tribute to the foundational work done by former chief councillor Crystal Smith, who was instrumental in the project’s early development.
Provincial leaders touted the project as a new model for how industrial development and economic reconciliation can proceed together. Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions, stated that deep partnership with First Nations is now the only viable path for major projects in the province. “The only way to move quickly is to move with First Nations,” Dix said, asserting that the Cedar LNG model is “far from a one-off.”
The announcement comes on the heels of a separate $200 million federal commitment made in March, bringing the total government support for the project’s infrastructure to $400 million. This investment aligns with a broader strategy to advance Indigenous-led economic development while ensuring major projects meet Canada’s climate goals.
