BC’s economy is poised to benefit from major infrastructure projects totaling more than $50 billion

Blackwater Gold Project near Vanderhoof is one of the proposed major projects on this list.

According to the BC Check-Up, a report issued jointly by the province’s professional accountants, a few key large-scale investment projects will serve as important contributors to the economy in the next several years. Many of the projects involve the development of natural resources and will generate significant economic benefits for smaller communities, especially in the northern half of the province.

The report provided an update for $25.5 billion worth of major capital projects in the province, including the Kitimat Modernization Project ($3.3 billion); Quintette Coal Mine ($500 million); Kitimat LNG Terminal ($3 billion); Forest Kerr Run-of-River Hydroelectric Project ($700 million); Site C Clean Energy Project ($7.9 billion); Seaspan Marine Corporation National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy Contract ($8 billion); Fairview Terminal Phase 2 ($650 million); and the Evergreen Rapid Transit Project ($1.4 billion).

Selected new major projects included two new mines worth close to $2.5 billion: The Blackwater Gold Project in Vanderhoof ($1.5 billion) is a proposed open-pit gold and silver mine, which is currently in the advanced exploration phase, and could be under construction by 2015 and operational by 2017; and the Kitsault Molybdenum Mine in Alice Arm ($938 million), which is one of the top five primary Molybdenum development assets worldwide. The Environmental Assessment Certificate has been issued and Avanti hopes to start construction later this year.

In addition, the Core Area Wastewater Management Project in Victoria ($783 million) is profiled. This project is the proposed wastewater treatment system for the Capital Regional District (CRD), and is intended to reduce marine pollution by vastly improving the quality of municipal wastewater discharged into the Juan de Fuca Straight. All of the facilities are expected to be in operation by the spring of 2018.

Finally, the report provided details about more than $24 billion of proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects. Growing demand in Asia, in combination with Northeastern BC’s untapped resource potential, has prompted a number of investment proposals to construct LNG plants on the North Coast. Substantial pipeline infrastructure development originating in the Northeast is necessary to support these developments. Currently proposed LNG projects include:

• Douglas Channel LNG—Douglas Channel (BC LNG Export Co-operative), capital amount $450 million.
• Kitimat LNG—Kitimat (Apache Canada and Chevron Canada), capital amount $3 billion (see project update).
• Kitsault (Kitsault Energy), capital amount currently unknown.
• LNG Canada—Kitimat (Shell Canada Ltd., PetroChina, Korea Gas, Mitsubishi ), capital amount $12 billion.
• Pacific NorthWest LNG—Lelu Island, Port Edward (Progress Energy), capital amount $9 to $11 billion.
• Prince Rupert LNG—Ridley Island, Prince Rupert (BG Group and Spectra Energy), capital amount currently unknown.

For additional discussion of BC’s major projects and its economic performance, please consult the BC Check-Up report.