Thursday, October 30, 2025

Gridlock to Greenlight: BC’s Fasttrack Projects Get Pipelines Moving

British Columbia’s accelerated permitting program is seemingly living up to its premise. Since Premier David Eby named 18 priority resource projects worth roughly $20 billion in February, regulators have cleared several marquee files, unlocking construction timelines and investment flows that had been frozen by years of procedural gridlock.

The first proof is NorthRiver Midstream’s $450-million NEBC Connector. The twin 215-kilometre pipelines, approved federally in 2023, finally secured provincial sign-off on in January 2025 after the company warned federal regulators that “the project is being put at risk.” Energy consultant Brad Hayes called the green light a positive signal for a Montney basin rattled by treaty-related uncertainty.

With the provincial blockade lifted, NorthRiver can start laying pipe to move condensate and natural gas from Wonowon, B.C., to Alberta—an essential conduit for oilsands diluent supply that had been stranded by BC Energy Regulator inertia.

Enbridge also got wind of the fasttrack regime with its $1.2-billion Aspen Point expansion, cleared by the Canada Energy Regulator in December, beginning construction this quarter and will add 535 MMcf/d of takeaway capacity by late 2026.

Recently, Teck Resources has sanctioned a $2.1-$2.4-billion pushback of the Valley pit at Highland Valley Copper. The project extends operations into the mid-2040s, supports 2,900 construction jobs, and underpins Teck’s plan to double copper output by decade-end.

On the LNG front and while not part of the project list being fasttracked, the 750-kilometre Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline recently got ruled by the Environmental Assessment Office ruled to be “substantially started,” preserving its environmental certificate indefinitely and clearing a path for the Nisga’a-led Ksi Lisims LNG project. Nisga’a president Eva Clayton called the decision “a turning point” for Indigenous-owned infrastructure.

Victoria pegs the fasttrack list at 8,000 direct jobs and $20 billion in capital—an insurance policy as Washington flirts with 25% tariffs on Canadian goods. The province already ships 46% of its exports outside the US, and port capacity in Vancouver and Prince Rupert offers headroom to deepen ties with Asian buyers.


Information for this story was found via the sources mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to the organizations discussed. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.

2 Responses

Video Articles

Silver’s Finally Breaking the System | Keith Neumeyer – First Majestic

The Best News for Gold Was the Drop! – Peter Grandich

McEwen Copper: The Los Azules Feasibility Study

Recommended

Silver47 Completes Property-Wide Geochemical, Rock Sampling Program At Adams Plateau, Identifies Numerous Targets

Altamira Gold Identifies Presence Of Second Mineralized Porphyry Body At Cajueiro

Related News

British Columbia Begins Taxing Home Flippers Up To 20%

British Columbia began the implementation of a new tax on residential property flipping on January...

Friday, January 3, 2025, 10:04:00 AM

Lumber In Slumber: More Sawmills To Close As Prices Poised To Hit 5-Year Low

Chicago lumber futures hit a two-year low of below $350 per thousand board feet, erasing...

Tuesday, January 17, 2023, 03:16:00 PM

British Columbia Gets Hammered By Ratings Downgrade, Third In Three Years

British Columbia faces its third credit rating downgrade in three years as S&P Global Ratings...

Thursday, April 11, 2024, 11:46:00 AM

BC Mining Exploration Spend Drops 14% As Projects Shift To Development

British Columbia mineral exploration spending fell 14% to $552 million in 2024 as major projects...

Monday, March 3, 2025, 08:47:39 AM

BC Expedites 18 Resource Projects Representing $20B In Investment

As part of the strides to reduce reliance on US exports, BC Premier David Eby...

Wednesday, February 5, 2025, 10:11:00 AM