Eagle Mountain - Woodfibre Gas Pipeline Project

We continue to upgrade a number of forest service roads along our planned pipeline route to improve vehicle access for our crews.

Starting mid-November, contractors will begin upgrades on the Mamquam River Forest Service Road, from the Sea to Sky Highway to Ray Basin (approximately seven kilometres). We expect traffic impacts to include rolling, single lane alternating traffic.

We appreciate everyone’s patience as we work to complete these activities safely and as quickly as possible.

Starting October 23, 2023, our contractors will begin transporting steel pipe, commonly referred to as line pipe, for the Eagle Mountain–Woodfibre Gas Pipeline (EGP) Project from Squamish Terminals to our construction staging property in Squamish, B.C.

Deliveries will occur Monday through Friday, 7 a.m.–6 p.m, and on Saturdays between 8 a.m.–6 p.m., over an anticipated period of three weeks. 

During this time, you may notice an increase in traffic volumes on the road and may wish to build additional time into your commute. 

We anticipate deliveries will add approximately five trucks per hour to existing traffic volumes, which represents a one-to-three per cent increase during peak traffic periods. Consistent with the Project’s Traffic Management Plan, trucks will be travelling on the District of Squamish’s designated truck routes including 3rd Avenue, Vancouver Street, Loggers Lane, Cleveland Avenue, Highway 99, Industrial Way, Queens Way and Government Road. 

To mitigate the impact on the community, we were able to proactively reduce the number of round trips per day from approximately 80 to 50.

We thank you for your patience as we look to deliver these materials safely.

If you have any questions about this delivery, please feel free to reach out to us at our community line 1-855-380-5784, or email [email protected].
 

Construction activities are progressing and we will be upgrading a number of forest service roads along our planned pipeline route to improve vehicle access for our crews. 

Starting the week of October 16, our contractors will begin upgrades on the northern end of the Stawamus-Indian River Forest Service Road. At this time, traffic impacts will include intermittent rolling closures starting for about the first ten kilometres from the road’s northern intersection with the Mamquam River Forest Service Road.

We appreciate everyone’s patience as we work to complete these activities safely and as quickly as possible. 

Starting mid-October, crews will be excavating at the BC Rail property in Squamish to build an entryway for our tunnel boring machine. Work will generally occur from Monday to Friday, between the hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Contractors may occasionally work on Saturdays from around 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nearby travellers may hear heavy machinery, and there may be periods of heavier traffic as crews carry material to and from the site.

This work is the first step to building a nine-kilometre underground tunnel beneath the Skwelwil’em Squamish Estuary Wildlife Management Area (WMA). We consulted with Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and arrived at an underground tunnel solution that would protect the sensitive ecosystems of the WMA. 

For more information on how we work to protect sensitive environments, including through this project, you can read our story Protecting diverse ecosystems at every stage of a project. 
 

Construction has started for the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline Project. Initial construction activities will begin in Squamish and will include activities such as mobilizing equipment and materials, setting up construction offices, preparing the work sites for construction, fencing, flagging, vegetation and tree clearing, preparing laydown and staging areas and building access roads.

Anticipated EGP Project construction schedule

We anticipate construction for the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline Project will begin on or after August 28, 2023. Initial construction activities will begin in Squamish and will include activities such as mobilizing equipment and materials, setting up construction offices, preparing the work sites for construction, fencing, flagging, vegetation and tree clearing, preparing laydown and staging areas and building access roads.

We're hosting a public information meeting on March 9 to provide the Squamish community with a project update regarding our Temporary Use Permit applications for a construction laydown area and Temporary Workforce Lodge.

Please join us to learn more, ask questions and share your thoughts. Visit our events calendar for full meeting details.

With significant snow forecasted in the area, we have made the decision to cancel tonight’s Open House in Squamish due to the winter weather statement issued by Environment Canada for the area. You can view our presentation materials in the Library tab, under Additional engagement resources.

Get involved and share your feedback with FortisBC:

• Call us at 1-855-380-5784
• Email us at [email protected]

You can also sign up for our email newsletter to get the latest updates on the project.

We welcome Enbridge’s investment in the Woodfibre LNG export facility near Squamish, which will create a new ownership structure for the facility. 

The investment will not impact FortisBC’s construction or operation of the Eagle Mountain - Woodfibre Gas Pipeline project, which will transport natural gas to the Woodfibre LNG export facility. Detailed project planning, including engagement with Indigenous communities and stakeholders, is ongoing. 

We anticipate construction on the project to start early next year.

Safety is at the core of everything we do at FortisBC, every day.

High-reliability industries such as aviation, healthcare and energy commonly use tools such as quantitative risk assessments to confirm whether major projects meet industry and community risk thresholds. For the Eagle Mountain - Woodfibre Gas Pipeline project, this assessment determined the pipeline meets or exceeds both regulatory requirements and risk thresholds established by the District of Squamish.

We are taking numerous steps to go above industry and regulator thresholds to ensure the new pipeline operates safely and reliably throughout its service life. These include:

• increasing its wall thickness almost 5mm beyond the Canadian Standards Association requirements to 23.6mm,

• installing it at least 1.2m to 2m below ground,
• testing it to 1.5 times the maximum operating pressure and generally operating it far below the maximum allowable operating pressure,
• clearly identifying its general location to help avoid third-party damage, and

• regularly monitoring its condition via surveys and in-line inspection tools, and using cathodic protection to prevent corrosion.

For perspective, even those living near the new pipeline are more at risk from a lightning strike than any sort of incident involving the pipeline.

We share quantitative risk assessments with the BC Oil and Gas Commission upon request and on a confidential basis. We do not publish risk assessments publicly due to security considerations, as they contain detailed information on our infrastructure that if released could be used to compromise our system and public safety.

We look forward to continuing our engagement with the community and First Nations ahead of project construction, which we anticipate starting next year.

Fieldwork to support detailed project planning is underway in Squamish, including archeological and environmental surveys, and geotechnical investigations. We expect this work to continue throughout 2022, with construction expected to start next year.

This includes geotechnical investigations in the summer near the intersection of Finch Drive and Loggers Lane. To complete these investigations safely and as quickly as possible, there will be single-lane alternating traffic in the area with traffic control personnel on site to help safely assist motorists.

We are in discussions with Indigenous Nations and regulators around a proposal to install an additional segment of pipeline in the tunnel being built under the Skwelwil’em Squamish Estuary Wildlife Management Area near Squamish, as part of the Eagle Mountain - Woodfibre Gas Pipeline project.

Installing a second 24-inch pipeline in the tunnel would provide redundancy and reduce the risk of interrupting supply to Woodfibre LNG. This approach is consistent with FortisBC’s other existing large underwater crossings on the Vancouver Island Transmission System. The tunnel being built as part of the project will be backfilled following construction, meaning the natural gas pipeline in it will not be accessible post-construction.

There would be no increase in the volume of natural gas delivered to the Woodfibre LNG facility as a result of this proposal. The capacity of the new pipeline servicing Woodfibre LNG is limited by the existing natural gas pipeline segment within the Coquitlam Watershed, which is not being expanded as part of the Eagle Mountain - Woodfibre Gas Pipeline project.

This proposal would not change the tunnel size, location or construction workspace.

Anyone who has questions or wants to provide feedback can contact us anytime at 1-855-380-5784 or [email protected]. We also invite the community to join us at one of our upcoming public information sessions, in Squamish on April 27 or Coquitlam on May 3.

The Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) and Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) have approved our amendment application for the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline (EGP) project. These approvals are significant milestones for the project and are the result of a harmonized process between the EAO and Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw in their parallel reviews.

“These changes reflect years of community engagement and detailed project planning” said Darrin Marshall, EGP project director at FortisBC. “It’s through listening and engagement that we’ve strengthened and refined this project, and we’re grateful for the input we’ve received.”

Approval of these amendments brings the EGP project a step closer to construction, and ultimately, to delivery of natural gas to the proposed Woodfibre LNG facility. 

The approved changes include:

• a new location for the Squamish Compressor Station at the Woodfibre LNG site based on feedback from the local community;
• rerouting an eight-kilometre section of the new gas pipeline in Stawamus Valley to minimize impacts and reflect input from Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw;
• increasing the size of two planned compressor units at the Eagle Mountain Compressor Station and accommodating this expansion within the existing footprint; and,
• constructing an additional three-kilometre section of gas pipeline adjacent to the existing line, near the Eagle Mountain Compressor Station in Coquitlam, to add capacity and increase reliability of natural gas supply.

These changes will be reflected in the project’s provincial Environmental Assessment Certificate as well as the Environmental Assessment Agreement with Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw, both of which received initial approval in 2016. 

We want to thank the community for their engagement with us to-date, and we look forward to continuing our engagement with Indigenous groups, stakeholders and local communities as the project progresses. To stay updated on the latest project news, sign up for our e-newsletter.

FortisBC is proposing to increase the size of our planned temporary workforce lodging site for the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline (EGP) project. The proposal would increase the size of the temporary workforce lodge site from two hectares to seven hectares – addressing issues raised by the community around pressure on local housing, traffic congestion and community resources. Previous proposals had anticipated that the majority of the workforce would be housed locally rather than at the lodge.

Key details of the changes include:

• Expanding the workforce lodge site to seven hectares, ensuring FortisBC can house approximately 600 non-local workers at a single site.
• Adding additional onsite facilities such as lounge, first aid, exercise and recreation areas to reduce worker pressure on community facilities.
• The preferred location for the workforce lodge is a previously disturbed site east of Squamish.

FortisBC remains committed to hiring locally for the EGP project wherever possible. It is our priority to ensure that the local community has the opportunity to benefit from the project through jobs and material procurement, and to reduce potential pressure on local services from out-of-town workers.

Details regarding site construction and operations are currently in development, including gathering ongoing input from local community representatives and Indigenous groups. FortisBC anticipates submitting an application to amend our existing environmental approvals through the Environmental Assessment Office and Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) in 2022.

We're hosting an information session in Squamish on April 27 and Coquitlam on May 3 to hear from the community and provide a project update.

Please join us to learn more, ask questions and share your thoughts. We’re committed to continuing to engage with the community as we prepare for construction, which we anticipate beginning in 2023.

We will be carrying out investigative activities ahead of construction from mid-March through mid-April in Squamish. 

In order to mitigate traffic impacts on Loggers Lane and Queens Way during construction, we are planning to install sections of our gas pipeline by digging underground tunnels that we could push the gas line through. To support our design and planning, we’ll need to install monitoring equipment in three narrow, vertical holes at the following locations: 

• Two vertical holes on FortisBC right of way along Finch Drive. There will be single-lane alternating closures on Finch Drive near Kingfisher Road and Loggers Lane to give our crews the space they need to work safely.  Work will take place between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. with drilling activities expected to take approximately two days at each location. We will have traffic control personnel on site to help safely assist traffic. 
• One vertical hole on a private property along Industrial Way near Queens Way. There will be no traffic impacts at this location. 

We will also be drilling an additional five narrow, vertical holes on private land at the BC Rail property to learn more about the site’s soil conditions. This investigative work will support the design of the entry portal at the BC Rail property for an approximately nine-kilometre, underground tunnel to the Woodfibre LNG site. The tunnel will play an important role in protecting sensitive ecosystems and wildlife by passing beneath the Skwelwil’em Squamish Estuary.

Nearby residents and businesses are being notified in advance of this work, and may notice some larger equipment and machinery, as well as vibration and noise levels comparable to normal construction.

FortisBC awarded the contract for the tunnel component of the project to Frontier-Kemper Michels Joint Venture in February 2022. The contractor will be responsible for both designing and constructing the approximately nine-kilometre tunnel, which will play an important role in protecting sensitive ecosystems and wildlife in Squamish. FortisBC will use the tunnel to house the project’s proposed gas pipeline system about 25 metres below the Skwelwil’em Squamish Estuary waterbed.

Awarding the tunnel contract is an important step forward for the project, with construction anticipated to begin in early 2023. We’ll continue engaging Indigenous communities, local governments, residents, and businesses to incorporate feedback as the project progresses.

The Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) has approved project changes introduced to reflect community feedback and technical advancements. The approved changes will amend FortisBC’s existing Environmental Assessment Certificate, which the project received in 2016.

As part of the review process, the BC EAO and Squamish Nation have been working collaboratively to review the changes. We’re pleased to have the EAO’s approval, and look forward to learning of Squamish Nation’s decision, anticipated later this year.

Due to weather conditions in recent weeks, we’ve extended our timeline for geotechnical investigations near Squamish and in the Indian River Valley.

Weather permitting, we now anticipate completing the work on Mount Mulligan near Squamish by early November. Approximately two weeks of helicopter activity during the day is anticipated for these investigations. This work is related to the proposed gas pipeline and is not related to the Squamish Compressor Station, which FortisBC has proposed relocating to the Woodfibre LNG site.

For the one drill location near Hixon Creek in the Indian River Valley, we now anticipate work to begin at the end of October, subject to safe road conditions and favourable weather. We expect this work to be completed within a few days.

As the project progresses, we are continuing to apply for a number of key permits. This includes an Oil and Gas Commission permit that will allow us to adjust a portion of our existing gas line northeast of the Squamish Valleycliffe area. In particular, we are proposing to decommission approximately 2.3 kilometres of our existing 10-inch gas line and replace it with 3.1 kilometres of new 10-inch gas line that will run alongside the new proposed project route. This relocation will reduce impacts to landowners by combining new and existing infrastructure.

Construction of this replacement pipe will coincide with the new 24-inch gas pipeline to minimize disruption. A consultation and notification package will be sent to recipients in proximity of this proposed replacement to provide further details.

As we continue project planning, we will be carrying out geotechnical investigations on Mount Mulligan in the Squamish area and near Hixon Creek in the Indian River Valley. These investigations will involve drilling narrow, vertical holes so we can learn more about the subsurface soil and rock conditions. 

On Mount Mulligan the investigation sites are along hard-to-access areas of the proposed project route, so we will be using helicopters to transport the equipment. This will minimize environmental disturbance and eliminate the need to build access roads. These geotechnical investigations are not related to the Squamish Compressor Station, which FortisBC has proposed relocating to the Woodfibre LNG site.

In the Indian River Valley we will be accessing the investigation area via existing forest service roads. 

There will be a total of three drilling sites across two locations, these include:

• Two vertical holes near Ray Creek on the southern side of Mount Mulligan near Squamish. We expect this work to begin late August and continue through to early October with approximately two weeks of anticipated daytime helicopter activity.
• One vertical hole on our proposed right of way near Hixon Creek in the Indian River Valley. We anticipate work to begin mid-September and be completed in a few days.

To provide a safe landing area for the helicopter at the Mount Mulligan sites we will build a temporary platform. To do so, we will clear some vegetation over a space of approximately 325 square feet at each location, the majority of which will be on our existing rights of way. Environmental monitors will be onsite to ensure the work complies with environmental requirements. 

We have been working closely with the regulators, local stakeholders, and Indigenous communities to develop this geotechnical investigation program, and will continue to engage these groups and keep the public informed as the work progresses.

FortisBC has received approval of its application to extend the Environmental Assessment Certificate (EAC) for the project from the BC Environmental Assessment Office (EAO). This extension adds five years to the EAC, which was initially approved in 2016.

The approval is independent of our application for project amendments that are currently under review by both the EAO and Squamish Nation through a collaborative, harmonized process. We anticipate construction to begin in mid-2022, provided the proposed amendments are approved this year.

We’ve continued to build awareness and understanding of the project since 2016. This includes reflecting years of local community feedback and technical advancements in the project’s design, which have led to the changes currently under review.

We will continue to engage residents, stakeholders and Indigenous groups at every key step as the project progresses.

To learn more about the EAO’s extension process visit projects.eao.gov.bc.ca.

As project planning continues, FortisBC will be conducting environmental surveys in various locations in the District of Squamish and north Coquitlam area. These routine surveys to support project permitting include:

• Surveys in the District of Squamish near Finch Drive, Loggers Sports Grounds, the local RCMP detachment, and a couple of locations near Highway 99. We expect these surveys to occur in two parts, the first beginning in late May/early June and concluding in mid-June, and the second beginning late July and concluding in mid-August.
• Surveys in Coquitlam near Eagle Mountain Park, specifically, near the BC Hydro Meridian Substation on Eagle Mountain Drive in the area of the proposed electrical substation facility. We expect these surveys to begin in late July and conclude in early August.

The surveys involve collecting visual field data through wetland surveys, aquatics surveys, wildlife and wildlife habitat surveys, as well as identifying rare and invasive plant species. Our environmental consultants will complete the surveys on foot during daylight hours while utilizing existing access and trails where possible. No ground disturbance will be required.

We will continue to keep the public informed as the project progresses.

Due to weather conditions in recent weeks, we’ve extended our timeline for geotechnical investigations near Squamish and in the Indian River Valley.

Weather permitting, we now anticipate completing the work on Mount Mulligan near Squamish by early November. Approximately two weeks of helicopter activity during the day is anticipated for these investigations. This work is related to the proposed gas pipeline and is not related to the Squamish Compressor Station, which FortisBC has proposed relocating to the Woodfibre LNG site.

For the one drill location near Hixon Creek in the Indian River Valley, we now anticipate work to begin at the end of October, subject to safe road conditions and favourable weather. We expect this work to be completed within a few days.

This November and December we hosted four virtual information sessions as part of our community engagement on the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline project. Two of these sessions invited Squamish community members for an update on the project including topics related to our Environmental Assessment Certificate amendments near Squamish; providing opportunities to the community during construction; and the details of our Waste Discharge Permit application to the Oil & Gas Commission.

The remaining two sessions focused on Coquitlam, highlighting our proposed work to add two new electric powered compressor units at our Eagle Mountain compressor station, as well as plans to twin a three-kilometre section of our existing pipeline near Westwood Plateau.

During these sessions, the community asked many questions on a wide range of topics related to the project, and the work that we do as a company. A summary of these questions and answers and will be posted on our website once compiled. We will consolidate responses where similar questions were received.

For anyone who was unable to participate in either session, we have posted a recording of the November 18 session presentation in Squamish, and of the December 3 session in Coquitlam.

As our planning continues for the tunnel segment of the project, we will be performing a groundwater monitoring program to support this work.

This program will take place on private land at the BC Rail property in Squamish and will be carried out in three phases. The first phase involves the installation of groundwater monitoring wells, which is planned for early-to-mid December and will last approximately two weeks. This work will involve drilling and the installation of two-inch-wide wells at locations within the property.

The next phases will begin in early-2021 and will involve a pump test program and a groundwater monitoring program.

We will ensure that all work meets environmental requirements.

We’re hosting two virtual information sessions in early December as part of our community engagement on the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline project.

We’ll provide an update on the project at both sessions. We’ll also talk about our proposed plan to add two new electric powered compressor units within the existing footprint of our Eagle Mountain compressor station in Coquitlam while minimizing the environmental and visual impact of the work. Also, we will discuss our proposal to add three kilometres of pipeline next to our existing pipeline near Westwood Plateau, which would increase capacity and reliability, will also be discussed.

Many of these developments have already been informed by community feedback. We look forward to updating you on our progress and answer any questions at our upcoming virtual information sessions.

Can’t join us for an information session? 

• Ask us a question or provide your feedback by phone or email. 
• Call us at 1-855-380-5784
• Email us at [email protected]

FortisBC is applying to extend our Environmental Assessment Certificate (EAC) for the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline Project, as it will currently expire in August 2021.

Since we initially received our provincial Environmental Assessment Certificate and Squamish Nation Environmental Assessment Agreement in 2016, we’ve been advancing the project and making progress in a number of areas. One notable undertaking in recent years has been our Environmental Assessment Certificate Amendment Application. This application contains four proposed amendments, which are the result of careful review, listening to community feedback, and further detailed design.

The application to extend our certificate is an opportunity to ensure that these years of engagement and careful review are reflected in the project.

We will continue to engage residents, stakeholders and Indigenous groups at every key step as the project progresses. This includes hosting upcoming virtual public information sessions this fall.

To learn more about the EAO’s extension process visit projects.eao.gov.bc.ca.

We’re hosting two virtual information sessions in November as part of our community engagement on the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline project.

We’ll provide an update on the project at both sessions. We’ll also talk about our proposed new location for the Squamish compressor station; the proposed rerouting of an eight-kilometre section of the pipeline extension in Stawamus Valley to minimize impacts and consider input from the Squamish Nation; how we’ll provide opportunities to the community during construction, including the hiring of local and Indigenous contractors; and details of our Waste Discharge Permit application to the Oil & Gas Commission.

There will be opportunities for the community to get their questions answered and provide feedback.

Can’t join us for an information session? 

• Ask us a question or provide your feedback by phone or email. 
• Call us at 1-855-380-5784
• Email us at [email protected]

We have submitted our application to amend the project’s Environmental Assessment Certificate, following months of planning and community engagement. As announced earlier this year, the amendments seek to include refinements in project design, incorporate feedback from Indigenous and local communities, and minimize potential project impacts.

Proposed changes include:

• the option of a new location for the Squamish compressor station at the Woodfibre LNG site;
• rerouting an eight-kilometre section of the pipeline in the Stawamus Valley;
• increasing the size of two planned compressor units at the Eagle Mountain compressor station and accommodating the expansion within the existing footprint; and,
• the addition of three-kilometres of pipeline near the Eagle Mountain compressor station.

In 2016, the project received both a provincial Environmental Assessment Certificate as well as a Squamish Nation Environmental Assessment Agreement following rigorous environmental review and extensive community engagement. We are now seeking approval from both bodies to amend the certificate and agreement based on our proposed changes.

We look forward to continued engagement with Indigenous groups, stakeholders, and local communities. This includes hosting upcoming public information sessions that will take place in mid-November.

Learn more about our amendments.

As our project planning continues, we are planning to carry out geotechnical work along forest service roads in the Stawamus Valley and Indian River Valley.

Geotechnical investigations involve drilling narrow, vertical holes so we can learn more about the subsurface soil and rock conditions. Beginning in mid-September, the work will start near the 25-kilometre post of the Stawamus/Indian River Forest Service Road. Geotechnical work and other geophysical investigations will take place at various other locations along the forest service road and existing FortisBC right of way, including Ray Creek and Hixon Creek.

Environmental monitors will be onsite to make sure the work meets environmental requirements, and all work spaces will be carefully cleaned up once we have finished. Partial access restrictions may be required along these forest service roads for this work to be completed safely. We anticipate finishing by early November.

Last week we hosted two virtual information sessions as part of our community engagement on the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline project. These sessions provided an update on the project and our preferred pipeline route through the Loggers Lane East neighbourhood.

During these sessions, the community asked many questions on a wide range of topics related to the project, and the work that we do as a company. We’re committed to providing answers and responses, and will post these on our website once these have been compiled.

For anyone who was unable to participate in either session, we have posted a recording of the August 13th presentation and Q&A.

We’re hosting two virtual information sessions as part of our community engagement on the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline project. These sessions will provide an update on the project and our preferred pipeline route through the Loggers Lane East neighbourhood. There will also be opportunities for the community to get their questions answered and provide feedback on the project.

A PDF of the PowerPoint presentation is also accessible here

Thursday, August 13, 2020

• 4-5:30 p.m.

There will be a short presentation about the project followed by a question and answer period.

Can’t join us for an information session? 

• Ask us a question or provide your feedback by phone or email. 
• Call us at 1-855-380-5784
• Email us at [email protected]

As part of our work to refine planning, today FortisBC is introducing proposed changes to the project. These changes are based on ongoing engineering design and address anticipated impacts to the community during construction and operations. They also incorporate feedback we received from Indigenous and local communities. The proposed changes include:

• A new location for the Squamish compressor station, previously proposed for Mount Mulligan, at the Woodfibre LNG site;
• Rerouting an eight-kilometre section of the pipeline extension in Stawamus Valley to minimize impacts and reflect input from Squamish Nation;
• Increasing the size of the two new electric powered compressor units at the existing Eagle Mountain compressor station in Coquitlam, and reconfiguring the station to accommodate this expansion within the existing footprint;
• Constructing an additional three-kilometre section of pipeline adjacent to the existing pipeline, near the Eagle Mountain compressor station, to increase reliability of natural gas supply to Woodfibre LNG.

These changes will require amendments to the Environmental Assessment Certificate received in 2016, as well as approval from Squamish Nation.

You can learn more about these changes and provide feedback at upcoming information sessions in 2020. Details for these sessions will be confirmed in the weeks ahead.

Beginning in early November, FortisBC will start carrying out geotechnical investigations for the project’s facilities. This involves drilling narrow, vertical holes to learn more about the underground layers of soil and rock.

This early investigative work will be carried out in Coquitlam, at the site of our new FortisBC high voltage substation. The site of this new facility is adjacent to the existing BC Hydro Meridian Substation, and will eventually provide additional power to our existing Eagle Mountain compressor station.

We will ensure that the work meets environmental requirements, and we anticipate it will take approximately one week to complete. Geotechnical investigations will also take place in mid-November at the Eagle Mountain compressor station property and will take approximately three weeks to complete.

In early November, we will be carrying out additional geotechnical investigations to fine-tune our plans. This includes work within the District of Squamish, including two locations along Industrial Way and Finch Drive. This work involves drilling narrow, vertical holes so we can learn more underground conditions.

As part of this work, temporary partial lane closures will be required on Industrial and Finch, near the Highway 99 intersection, to ensure the safety of the public and our contractors. Beginning at the start of next week, work will take approximately two days at each location and we anticipate finishing in early November.

One of our contractors will also conduct a field survey at locations along Finch Drive in early November. This will assist in our project planning and detailed engineering, and this work should be finished by mid-November.

As part of our engagement on the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline Project, we’ll be meeting this fall with community leaders and associations to understand their perspectives. Our initial focus will be on potential impacts related to workforce accommodation and construction. We will be engaging the broader community at public information sessions in early 2020.

As our project planning continues, we are now starting to carry out geotechnical work along forest service roads in the Indian River Valley.

Geotechnical investigations involve drilling narrow, vertical holes so we can learn more about the soil and rock. Beginning this week, work will take place at various locations between the start of the Indian River forest service road and approximately three kilometres north of the Indian River – Hixon Creek forest service roads junction.

Environmental monitors will be onsite to make sure the work meets environmental requirements, and all work spaces will be carefully cleaned up once we have finished. Access may be restricted along these forest service roads, and work is anticipated to be finished by mid-October.

As we continue our project planning, we will be carrying out geotechnical work along forest service roads in the Indian River Valley during the summer months.

Geotechnical investigations involve drilling narrow, vertical holes so we can learn more about the soil and rock. Beginning in mid-July, work will take place between the start of the Indian River forest service road and approximately three kilometres north of the Indian River – Hixon Creek forest service roads junction.

Environmental monitors will be onsite to make sure the work meets environmental requirements, and all work spaces will be carefully cleaned up once we have finished. Access may be restricted along these forest service roads, and work is anticipated to be finished by mid-September.

We’re continuing to fine-tune our engineering and design for the project, and beginning this week we will be carrying out geotechnical investigations. This involves drilling narrow, vertical holes to learn more about the underground layers of soil and rock.

This early investigative work will be carried out on private land at the BC Rail property and the Woodfibre LNG site. The information we gather will help us plan the pipeline tunnel underneath the Squamish Estuary Wildlife Management Area.

We will ensure that the work meets environmental requirements, and we anticipate it will take approximately three weeks to complete.

We are planning for additional geotechnical work that will take place at locations along the pipeline route in 2019, and we will continue to provide updates as they become available.

The Squamish Nation’s decision to approve the economic agreement is a significant and positive milestone for FortisBC’s Eagle Mountain to Woodfibre Gas Pipeline project. This approval has been issued as part of the Squamish Nation’s environmental approval process and FortisBC is proud to be a part of this negotiation, which is the first of its kind in Canada.

As part of its agreement with Squamish Nation, FortisBC is committed to delivering comprehensive economic benefits, including employment and training opportunities. In addition, we will be undertaking studies around improvements to energy efficiency and infrastructure location.

We’re proud to be part of the Squamish community and we want to meet our neighbours. Join us for a free game of mini golf, a BBQ lunch, fun prizes and giveaways.

Date: Sunday, June 24, 2018
Time: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Location: WhistlePunk Hollow Adventure Golf
1940 Centennial Way, Squamish

While our current phase of planning work is ongoing, we have reduced our presence and community office hours at our location on Cleveland Avenue. We value the feedback we receive from local stakeholders and residents, and we will be available by scheduling an appointment in advance. Contact us at [email protected].

FortisBC and Woodfibre LNG celebrated the reopening of our Squamish Community Office on June 14. The event celebrated the continued support we have received from the local community, and will be open from Wednesday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Viviana, our community relations manager, addresses some of the geotechnical work that took place during the fall of 2016, about halfway between the Woodfibre LNG site and the Squamish Estuary. She summarizes the steps we took in advance of the clearing work that took place, as well as the steps we took to mitigate our impact to that area.

Spit Road re-opens to pedestrian and vehicle traffic now that FortisBC crews have completed geotechnical investigations along the Squamish dike.

The subsurface data collected over the past several weeks will help us properly manage tunnel construction underneath the Skwelwilem Squamish Estuary Wildlife Management area for the Eagle Mountain to Woodfibre Pipeline Project. Work was suspended when crews encountered a pocket of naturally occurring gases, and notified safety and regulatory authorities.

We appreciate the public's patience.

Woodfibre LNG Limited announce that they have secured approval to move forward with their LNG export facility, to be located near Squamish, BC.

This is a positive step for FortisBC's Eagle Mountain to Woodfibre Gas Pipeline project. We will continue to work on design and permitting of the pipeline to serve Woodfibre's facility.

FortisBC's proposed Eagle Mountain to Woodfibre Gas Pipeline project is a 47-kilometre expansion to our existing Vancouver Island natural gas transmission system to deliver gas to the Woodfibre LNG facility in Squamish. Earlier this year the Eagle Mountain Gas Pipeline project received environmental approval from the Squamish First Nation and an Environmental Assessment Certificate from the provincial government.

We will continue our discussions with Indigenous groups, stakeholders, and the public as the project moves forward.

The safety of our employees and the public, and the security of our assets is FortisBC's number one priority.

In the early hours of Thursday morning, November 3rd, a small fire was intentionally set at our Community Office in Squamish. Thankfully, there were no injuries as a result of this incident. We are supporting Squamish Fire Rescue and Squamish RCMP as they continue their investigation.

Our Community Office has been a place of peaceful and constructive dialogue for more than two years. We know that this incident is not representative of the community of Squamish.

We are grateful to Squamish Fire Rescue and Squamish RCMP or their quick response to this incident.

The provincial government grants the Eagle Mountain-Woodfibre Gas Pipeline project with environmental assessment approval. Read the official release.

Squamish Nation Chiefs and Council vote to approve an Environmental Assessment Agreement for the proposed Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline Project and issue an Environmental Certificate to FortisBC. Read the news release.

FortisBC representatives host an open house in Squamish to support the Environmental Assessment Office public comment period.

A public comment period for our addenda on our final report takes place from September 24 to October 15, 2015. Comments helped the BC Environmental Assessment Office ensure that all environmental, economic, social, heritage and health concerns related to our proposed addenda have been part of the assessment process.

Squamish Nation Council outlines a series of environmental conditions as a result of its review, and we revise our plans to address their conditions.

View the materials from the open house hosted by the District of Squamish.

Open house materials.

FortisBC representatives host an open house in Coquitlam to support the Environmental Assessment Office public comment period.

Open house materials.

FortisBC representatives host an open house in Gibsons to discuss the project and answer questions.

FortisBC representatives host an initial open house in Coquitlam to discuss the project and answer questions.

FortisBC representatives host an initial open house in Squamish to discuss the project and answer questions.