LNG expansion could bring 200 more tankers a year to B.C.’s West Coast, report says

Nov. 10, 2025

More than 800,000 people in B.C. and Washington state live within 10 kilometres of approved LNG tanker routes

The expansion of liquefied natural gas production in B.C. could add 200 LNG tankers a year over the coming decade, increasing the risk of pollution to already busy shipping lanes in the Georgia and Juan de Fuca straits, according to a recent report from an environmental think-tank.

Plans for two gas plants — an expansion of Tilbury LNG in Delta and construction of Woodfibre LNG near Squamish — would increase LNG production capacity from less than 100,000 tonnes a year in 2015 to nearly six million tonnes by 2035, according to the report from Maritime Beyond Methane, a network of advocacy groups and non-government groups working to reduce methane emissions in the shipping industry.

“We’re seeing a 60-fold expansion planned from just these two projects,” said ocean and climate consultant Curtis Kunitz-Martin, who wrote the report. “We’re seeing this in one region. What does that also mean for the projects in Northern B.C.?”

The increase in tanker traffic comes as B.C. seeks to expand LNG exports. A Conference Board of Canada study in 2020 estimated that the industry could create roughly 71,000 jobs annually in B.C. By 2064, the conference board estimated over $200 billion in wages could flow to B.C. from LNG development, with tax and royalty payments of roughly $2 billion per year.

But Kunitz-Martin said the increase in LNG tanker traffic increases the risks to public health and the marine ecosystem.

Methane gas escapes storage containers during transit and from ship engines during transit. Escaped methane reacts with other chemicals to create ground level ozone, a dangerous air pollutant, especially for people with respiratory problems.

“Elevated ozone levels can cause significant respiratory distress, including coughing, throat irritation, chest pain and reduced lung function. Those with pre-existing lung conditions such as asthma, bronchitis and emphysema are especially vulnerable,” the report notes.

More than 800,000 people in B.C. and Washington state live within 10 kilometres of the approved tanker routes, which pass through or skirt the edges of several protected or environmentally sensitive marine areas.

Some tanker routes also pass through waters designated or proposed as critical habitat for marine life, including orcas, humpback whales and salmon. The report found that more than 1,000 kilometres of tanker routes pass through federally designated critical habitat areas.

“This habitat is designated for species at risk in Canada and the U.S.,” Kunitz-Martin said. “We’re talking about, for example, resident orcas. We’re talking about humpback whales and other animals who have this area set aside to help them recover.”

The recent death of a humpback whale struck and killed by a whale-watching boat operator highlighted the risks of ship strikes as marine traffic increases.

“These are really large vessels and they have big engines and propellers, and so that’s also a concern,” Kunitz-Martin said of the risk of increased ship strikes as LNG tanker traffic increases. “That impacts all the wildlife in the region, from the really small plankton all the way up to the bigger mammals.”

Noise pollution from LNG facilities can significantly disrupt nearby wildlife, interfering with feeding, mating and migration patterns that can impact hundreds of species, including whales, fish, crabs, shellfish and zooplanktons, according to the report.

“Wastewater discharges from vessels, including from onboard Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (scrubbers) can contain harmful pathogens, organic matter and chemical residues which can contaminate fish and seafood,” the report notes.


A module arrives at Woodfibre LNG facility project site near Squamish.

In a statement, Transport Canada said it has implemented several safety measures for ship traffic since 2016. The vessel pollution and dangerous chemicals regulations require ships in Canadian waters to have spill response plans and arrangements with certified response organizations in case of emergencies.

Transport Canada said there are currently no LNG cargo exports in either the Juan de Fuca or Georgia straits and that “all future LNG projects would need to undergo a regulatory assessment process to determine marine safety requirements.”

Rishi Luthra, director of operations for the Chamber of Shipping, a maritime shipping industry group, said the organization is helping develop and implement best practices, citing the voluntary program for ships to reduce speed in killer whale habitats as one example.

“At this time, the most effective and immediately tangible means of reducing underwater noise are vessel slowdowns in key areas, which also provide the added benefit of improving ship energy efficiency,” Luthra said in an email.

He said the chamber advises federal agencies on global best practices related to the management and limitation of wash-water and wastewater discharges.

Luthra also pointed to a Port of Vancouver study from 2021 highlighting $32.7 billion in economic output and $9.3 billion in wages associated with shipping in the Lower Mainland.

The think-tank report recommends that environmental assessment processes for LNG projects capture the full life-cycle impacts of new LNG projects, like the cost of transport by tankers and the increased domestic use of marine fuel.

It also recommended considering restrictions on LNG tankers similar to the B.C. Oil Tanker Moratorium Act, which prohibits oil tankers carrying more than 12,500 metric tons of crude oil or other oil products from certain coastal waters. LNG isn’t included under the Act.