LNG Canada Phase II was the first of five projects listed in the PMO’s announcement of projects being advanced through the new major projects office.
According to the government website, this $33 billion project would “double LNG Canada’s production of liquefied natural gas, making it the second largest facility of its kind in the world.”
The prominence of the project on the list is consistent with messages being delivered internationally by both Prime Minister Carney and Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hodgson about Canada’s ambition to be a global energy supplier. It has also been exciting to hear the Minister echo many of the messages that ESF has been advancing for the past three years:
“And what I can tell you from the conversations that the prime minister has been having, the minister of foreign affairs has been having, the minister of international trade has been having, the conversations I’ve been having, our allies are very interested in Canadian LNG,” – Minister Hodgson
“(Canada) will be producing the lowest carbon footprint natural gas in the world. Canadians should be proud of that. It’s something that our allies are very interested in getting access to. They would like the diversity of supply, and they really like the fact that we produce the cleanest LNG in the world.” – Minister Hodgson
Yes! And we would add that our allies have been waiting for the federal government, provinces, industry, Indigenous nations, labour groups, and others in Canada to all be aligned with the same message. It is finally happening and we are excited to see that the Value proposition of Canadian LNG is front and centre on the government’s major projects agenda.
A new table with the right experience
Energy for a Secure Future is thrilled that Crystal Smith, Senior Fellow, Energy and Partnerships, and former Chief Councillor of Haisla Nation has been appointed to the Indigenous Advisory Committee of the new Major Projects Office. According to a statement by Prime Minister Mark Carney on September 10, 2025, the role of the Indigenous Advisory Committee is “to ensure that major projects create opportunities for equity ownership and responsible resource management through meaningful participation with Indigenous Peoples.”
Crystal Smith played an instrumental role in supporting the realization of LNG Canada and in getting to the successful FID of Cedar LNG, “the largest majority First Nation-owned infrastructure project in Canadian history, and the first Indigenous-owned LNG export terminal in the world.” The experience of Cedar LNG provides a significant proof point that “an Indigenous nation and an industry partner bringing their respective resources together to create a multi-billion-dollar project of mutual benefit.”
ESF has worked along our Council members and affiliate organizations to advance understanding of the power of partnership between Indigenous peoples and industry in resource development. Such efforts include showcasing Canadian LNG and Indigenous leadership at the world’s most significant conference on liquefied natural gas, LNG 2023. It includes ESF’s March 2023 paper, Ownership and Beyond: How Indigenous Peoples Are Shaping a More Secure Energy Future as well as our diplomatic advocacy and trade missions. Crystal has played a central role in this work and as she takes her seat alongside other leaders, her experience in community, at the board table, and in the public square will serve her well.
As partnerships in major projects spur on greater economic activity and advance reconciliation, we should all keep an eye on the global picture. As Crystal has said:
“Our communities are not separate from the world, what happens in Asia or Europe affects us – projects like Cedar LNG can offer a global emissions reduction solution. This will create positive benefits for the world and for our communities.” – Crystal Smith, Chief Councillor, Haisla Nation
