Unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations (Vancouver) | February 7, 2025 – The Province of BC made major policy decisions this week that open a fast-tracked pathway to expansion of the fracking and liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry.

In response, Dr. Melissa Lem, family physician and President of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), says:

“We’re concerned that the Province’s decision to fast-track industrial resource projects is laying the groundwork to expand LNG, an industry responsible for worsening health and air and water quality, increasing healthcare system costs, insurance rates and the cost of living, and is making the impacts of climate change even more dramatic for people across BC.

“It’s understandable to want to diversify and loosen economic ties to the U.S., but we now have an opportunity to be leaders in clean energy—not dirty LNG. Fossil fuels are the major driver of climate impacts like wildfires, heat domes and atmospheric floods, which carry significant human health implications.

“The North Coast Transmission Line is an enabler of large LNG projects in the North, projects that will export more gas overseas, increasing carbon pollution and raising the cost of domestic energy.

“BC has an opportunity to build a world-class renewable energy sector—one that ensures long-term energy security, affordability, and healthier communities. But instead of investing in a clean, independent energy future, the Province is taking the risky path of diverting renewable electricity to LNG companies. This means hospitals and households across BC will be competing with fossil fuel corporations for energy, further driving up costs for families.

“The all-encompassing costs of LNG expansion are too high. The smart path forward is to accelerate the buildout of renewable energy projects in BC—securing good jobs, affordable energy for households and businesses, and a safer, healthier future.”

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For more information, contact:
Reykia Fick, Communications Director | CAPE
647-762-9168, media@cape.ca