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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- In what's the largest capital investment in provincial history, the government of British Columbia welcomed the sanctioning of a liquefied natural gas facility. The federal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed off on a $27 billion planned LNG project steered by a division of the Malaysian energy company known as Petronas.
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"This is a significant milestone, and the last major requirement for Pacific NorthWest LNG before a final investment decision can be made," British Columbia Premier Christy Clark said in a statement.
As the largest investment project ever proposed for the province, the premier said the project offers an "unprecedented" opportunity for the region's economy.
Project consortium Pacific NorthWest LNG said last year making a final investment on the project was contingent upon regulatory approval. The company said the facility, once built, could add 4,000 sustainable jobs to the provincial economy.
The company, which defended its interest in the project earlier this year, could be able to convert enough product to the super-cooled gas form to meet the delivery equivalent of one tanker per day.
Canada relies heavily on oil and gas to fuel its economy, though Trudeau has expressed reservations about adding more energy infrastructure in national territory, preferring a greener agenda.
Kinder Morgan was dealt a setback early this year when the provincial government of British Columbia raised questions about plans to expand the existing Trans Mountain pipeline network to triple its capacity to around 890,000 barrels of oil per day.
Energy plans for the western Canadian coast have riled conservation groups and members of the aboriginal community worried about the condition of the region's environment.
Clark in 2014 recused herself from decisions about an oil refinery planned by Pacific Future Energy Corp. Her former husband, Mark Marissen, was named executive vice president of communications at the company.
