Kitimat, British Columbia: Canada is positioning itself as an emerging leader in the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) market, but the push may bind the country to multibillion-dollar contracts lasting decades with companies whose operations have raised human rights and environmental concerns.
LNG Canada — the country's first major export facility — began operating in mid-2025 at Kitimat on British Columbia's west coast. In late September, the project approved a US$33 billion expansion plan expected to double output in the coming years.
However, the Kitimat plant has struggled with its flaring system since commissioning began in late 2024. Over the course of 2025, the new liquefaction facility flared 350 million cubic metres of gas because of problems at its main incineration tower.
A local resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the noise from flaring was "on a completely different level" once the new plant came online, far louder than expected. Another resident voiced concern about changes to the surrounding homeland, saying the stars are no longer visible as they once were and that a friend visiting home suffered worsened asthma.
The residents asked not to be named because Kitimat is a small community and the industrial project is a major source of jobs and funding for local organizations.
The project enjoys political backing, particularly as Canada faces economic pressure from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, which imposed a series of tariffs on Canadian steel, lumber and aluminium in 2025 and then added a further round of tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods in August, covering wine, dairy products and textiles.
Since Trump's tariff campaign began, the Canadian government has announced a series of agreements aimed at diversifying trade partners and expanding domestic infrastructure development.
