Project Recommendation Issued under Paragraph 8 of Chapter 10 of the Nisg̱a'a Final Agreement for the Ksi Lisims LNG – Natural Gas Liquefaction and Marine Terminal Project

Description of the Designated Project

The Nisg̱a'a Nation, Rockies LNG Limited Partnership, and Western LNG LLC (the proponents) are proposing to jointly develop a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) production, storage and offloading facility and marine terminal, the Ksi Lisims LNG – Natural Gas Liquefaction and Marine Terminal Project (the Designated Project). The Designated Project is located at Wil Milit on the northwest coast of British Columbia, at the northern end of Pearse Island. The terrestrial components of the Designated Project will be on Category A Land owned in fee simple by the Nisg̱a'a Nation and within the Nass Area and the Nass Wildlife Area as described in the Nisg̱a'a Final Agreement (Nisg̱a'a Treaty). The marine components of the Designated Project are proposed on an adjacent water lot located in Portland Canal within the Nass Area. As proposed, the Designated Project would receive up to two billion cubic feet per day of pipeline grade natural gas and would have a total storage capacity of 490,000 cubic metres of LNG, divided between two floating LNG production, storage, and offloading facilities. The Designated Project would export up to 22.4 billion cubic metres per year of natural gas to global markets. The operational lifespan of the Designated Project would be up to a maximum of 40 years.

Conduct of the environmental assessment

On April 6, 2023, the former Minister of Environment and Climate Change approved the substitution of the conduct of the federal impact assessment of the Designated Project to British Columbia. The British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) undertook a substituted assessment of the Designated Project in a manner that met the requirements of British Columbia's Environmental Assessment Act (2018), the Impact Assessment Act, the Notice of Substitution Approval under the Impact Assessment Act, and Chapter 10 – Environmental Assessment and Protection of the Nisg̱a'a Treaty (Chapter 10). As part of that process, the EAO conducted an effects assessment in consideration of the Revised Application submitted by the proponents to the EAO on September 3, 2024. On August 7, 2025, the EAO submitted its final Assessment Report to me in my capacity as Minister of Environment and Climate Change, as required by the Impact Assessment Act.  

Assessment of effects under paragraphs 8(e) and 8(f) of Chapter 10 of the Nisg̱a'a Treaty

In accordance with paragraph 8(e) of Chapter 10 of the Nisg̱a'a Treaty, based on the environmental assessment, I have determined that the Designated Project can reasonably be expected to have residual effects on residents of Nisg̱a'a Lands, Nisg̱a'a Lands and Nisg̱a'a interests under the Nisg̱a'a Treaty, including interests related to freshwater and marine fish and aquatic plants, wildlife and migratory birds, and botanical forest products under federal, provincial and the Nisg̱a'a Nation's jurisdictions, as described in the Assessment Report.

In accordance with paragraph 8(f) of Chapter 10 of the Nisg̱a'a Treaty, based on the environmental assessment, I have determined that the Designated Project will result in both positive and negative effects on the existing and future economic, social and cultural well-being of Nisg̱a'a citizens who may be affected by the Designated Project. This is supported by Nisg̱a'a Lisims Government's conclusions that there will be positive effects on economic well-being and that negative effects on the economic, social and cultural well-being of Nisg̱a'a citizens will be acceptable, as described in the Assessment Report.

Pursuant to Paragraph 7 of Chapter 11 – Nisg̱a'a Government of the Nisg̱a'a Treaty, the Nisg̱a'a Nation acts through Nisg̱a'a Lisims Government. Nisg̱a'a Lisims Government has determined that the residual effects identified in the Assessment Report, considering the proposed provincial conditions and key federal mitigation measures and follow-up programs identified in the Assessment Report, will not unduly adversely impact residents of Nisg̱a'a Lands, Nisg̱a'a Lands or Nisg̱a'a interests under the Nisg̱a'a Treaty.

My Decision Statement issued under section 65 of the Impact Assessment Act establishes the legally binding conditions I deem necessary to prevent or mitigate adverse effects within federal jurisdiction. It also identifies follow-up programs that must be implemented by the proponents in order to verify the accuracy of the conclusions of the substituted environmental assessment and the effectiveness of the federal mitigation measures that I have established as conditions in the Decision Statement.

Statement under paragraph 8(h) of Chapter 10 of the Nisg̱a'a Treaty

Paragraph 8(h) of Chapter 10 of the Nisg̱a'a Treaty provides that all environmental assessment processes referred to under the Nisg̱a'a Treaty will, in addition to the requirements of applicable environmental assessment legislation, provide for recommendations, based on the assessment, to the Party or Parties with decision-making authority over the project, in respect of whether the project should proceed.

Based on the Revised Application, the Chapter 10 Assessment, the relevant proposed provincial conditions, federal mitigation measures and follow-up programs that I have established as conditions in the Decision Statement, the letter from the Nisg̱a'a Nation to the British Columbia Minister of Environment & Parks and the Minister of Energy & Climate expressing support for the Project, and the letter to the former federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change expressing support for the Project, I recommend that the Designated Project should proceed.

This Project Recommendation is made on September 15, 2025, at Ottawa, Ontario by:

<Original signed by>

The Honourable Julie Dabrusin, P.C., M.P.

Minister of the Environment