Eagle Mountain - Woodfibre Gas Pipeline Project

Further to the July 3^rd update, starting the week of July 21, we will be temporarily closing the northern Connector Trail and a small section of four nearby trails, to ensure safety. These closures are anticipated to remain in place until late September. They will be reopened for brief periods when it is safe to do so.

As work progresses, we will continue to provide updates in advance of trail closures in the area. We appreciate the community’s patience as we work to safely complete these activities.

We have reached a significant milestone for construction on the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline Project. We are pleased to share we’ve completed the installation of approximately three kilometres of the new natural gas pipeline in Coquitlam’s Eagle Mountain area.

Beginning July 11, crews will begin hydrotesting this section of the pipeline. This important, routine process ensures the pipeline meets the highest standards of safety, integrity, and regulatory compliance. The work is anticipated to occur over a weeklong period and will generally occur between 7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, as well Saturday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Once hydrotesting is complete, final reclamation activities will begin and are expected to continue through to the end of 2025. For your safety, please avoid entering any restricted areas during this time. We appreciate the community’s continued patience as we safely work to complete these activities.

To create the workspace needed for our upcoming pipeline installation, our crews are progressing early construction activities further along the new right of way in the Squamish area.

Beginning the week of July 7, we will be undertaking tree clearing and access upgrades on private property southeast of Finch Drive. This work is in support of Atlantic Power’s powerline relocation within the private property to create the space required for future pipeline construction.

• Work will generally occur between 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, as well as Saturday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.   
• This work is anticipated to last approximately three months.
• To maintain safety, in the coming weeks, as work progresses, a temporary trail closure will likely be required for the northern Connector Trail, and we will provide another update in advance.

We’ve notified local recreational groups to help bring awareness to this work and inform their trail-use planning. We appreciate your patience as we safely complete these activities.

We are preparing to install a portion of our new natural gas pipeline on private property in Squamish’s Business Park area. We will be using a trenchless method of natural gas pipeline installation underneath the Canadian National (CN) Railway tracks.

Starting the week of June 23, nearby residents and businesses may notice increased noise in the area. Here are some important details to be aware of:

• The work will occur near the intersection of Industrial Way and Queens Way.
• Work will generally take place between 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday to Friday, as well as Saturday 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
• We will be installing steel walls known as sheet piling for approximately 5 weeks.

Once these activities are complete, we anticipate installing this segment of new gas pipeline beneath the CN Rail tracks later this year and we will provide a more detailed update as work progresses.

Please note, this work is occurring separately from construction of the new gas pipeline along Industrial Way and Finch Drive, which is tentatively planned to begin later in 2025 or early in 2026.

We have been in touch with businesses and residents in the area to make sure they are aware of the work, and we will continue to notify them of nearby activities as construction progresses. Thank you for your patience, as we complete this work safely, and as quickly as possible.

On June 23, crews will be returning to Mamquam FSR, Stawamus Indian FSR, Ray Basin Road and a small portion of Powerhouse Springs Road to apply a further layer of dust suppressant. This work will take approximately three days and traffic control will be in place to direct single lane alternating traffic as the product dries following application.

We appreciate the community’s patience as we work to complete these activities.

Updated June 20, 2025, to reflect new start and duration

Starting the week of June 23, crews will return to Industrial Way and Finch Drive to carry out additional works to help further identify subsurface ground conditions. Construction of the new gas pipeline in this area is tentatively planned to begin later this year or early 2026.

Work will generally occur between 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday to Friday, and if required, Saturday 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. In July, it is anticipated that some work will be conducted overnight on Industrial Way between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

This work is anticipated to last approximately one month.

Single lane alternating traffic will be in effect along Finch Drive and Industrial Way. There will also be one night where there will be single-lane closures in effect on Highway 99. We will install signage, and traffic control personnel will help safely direct vehicles around our work zones. We recognize the disruption this may cause, and we will make efforts to reduce traffic impacts to the extent possible. Access to residents and businesses will be maintained, unless previously communicated.

We thank the public for their patience as we complete these activities.

On June 9, crews will be returning to Mamquam FSR, Stawamus Indian FSR, Ray Basin Road and a small portion of Powerhouse Springs Road to apply an additional layer of dust suppressant. This work is expected to take approximately three days and traffic control will be in place to direct single lane alternating traffic as the product dries following application.

We thank the public for their patience as we complete these activities.

We are progressing construction on the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline Project in Coquitlam’s Eagle Mountain area.

One key component of the project is building a new electric substation that will power two new electric compressor units at our existing Eagle Mountain Compressor Station. Crews are now ready to begin constructing the substation’s foundation. Nearby residents and Eagle Mountain area trail users may notice increased noise throughout the month of June through mid-July as this work takes place. This work will generally occur Monday to Friday between 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

We appreciate the community’s patience as we safely work to complete these activities. For your safety, please avoid entering restricted areas during this period.

We have substantially completed vegetation and tree clearing in the temporary construction laydown yard northeast of Valleycliffe. We are now progressing with the next phase of work to prepare for gas pipeline construction.

FortisBC has been conducting controlled blasting activities in the nearby Ray Basin area for several months, and similar activities will commence beginning May 28, 2025, at the temporary construction laydown yard. This will involve a few controlled blasts daily over a period of two-to-three weeks. Controlled blasting is a standard construction method used to safely break apart rock.

Blasts will occur between the hours of 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday to Saturday. Once preparation activities for the temporary construction laydown yard are complete, it will be used for storing equipment and materials, as well as parking and fuelling.

Similar activities are anticipated to continue northwest along the new right of way towards town as construction continues into 2025. We ask that the public please avoid entering restricted areas during this period.

We appreciate your continued patience as we safely complete this work. If you have any questions or concerns, or if you would like more information about the project, please contact the FortisBC team at [email protected] or 1-855-380-5784. You can also sign up for our email newsletter for the latest on construction activities.

We appreciate the community’s patience as we continue pre-construction activities in the Industrial Way and Finch Drive area.

We will be conducting drone flights in the Finch Drive area to collect data on the terrain below on Friday, May 23 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., weather permitting. The drones may be visible during operation and noise may be heard overhead.

We appreciate your patience as we work to safely complete these activities. If you have any questions regarding the project, please feel free to contact us at [email protected] or 1-855-380-5784. To learn more about the project, please visit talkingenergy.ca/egp, where you can also sign up for our e-newsletter to receive regular construction updates.

We’re continuing to advance construction in Coquitlam on the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline Project.

Starting the week of May 19, crews will return to the Eagle Mountain area to set up trailers and advance key construction activities. These include:

• completing installation of new gas pipeline northwest of Westwood Plateau; and
• beginning construction on the new electric substation and 950 metres of new powerlines.

We also expect work to begin at the Eagle Mountain Compressor Station later this month.

Nearby residents and recreational users may notice increased work in the area. Here are some important details to be aware of:

• work will take place between 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday to Friday, as well as weekends 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. To reduce inconvenience, the majority of work will be from 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.
• there will be trail closures and intermittent road closures in the Eagle Mountain Park area, as required. We will use advance notice signboards as early as feasible to inform nearby residents and recreational users before implementing the closures. Please see map of the closure area below. 

We thank the public for their patience as we continue progressing this work. 

For approximately two days, beginning on May 5, crews will be applying a layer of dust suppressant to the Mamquam FSR, Stawamus Indian FSR and a small portion of Powerhouse Springs Road. During this work, traffic control will be in place to direct single lane alternating traffic as the product dries following application. 

We appreciate the community’s patience as we safely work to complete these activities.

Starting the week of April 7, crews will return to Industrial Way and Finch Drive for approximately one week to carry out additional pre-construction activities to help further identify the locations of existing underground utilities. Construction of the new gas pipeline is tentatively planned to begin later in 2025.

Work will take place between 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday to Friday, and if required, Saturday 8 a.m. – 7 p.m., and will include:

• surveying
• electronic roadway scanning
• using water pressure (hydrovac) to identify existing underground utilities

During the work, single lane closures will be implemented on Industrial Way and single lane alternating traffic will be in place east of Loggers Lane on Finch Drive. We will install signage, and traffic control personnel will help to safely direct vehicles around our work zones. Access will be maintained to residences and businesses. We recognize the disruption that this may cause, and we will make efforts to reduce traffic impacts to the extent possible. 

We appreciate the community’s patience as we safely work to complete these activities. 

Preparation activities at our temporary construction laydown yard northeast of Valleycliffe are now expected to begin on April 7. See our March 18 update below for more details. Similar vegetation and tree clearing activities will continue northwest along the new right of way towards town as construction continues into 2025.

In addition, beginning as early as the week of April 7, crews will start heli-logging in the Ray Basin area.

• Clearing will generally occur from 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturdays.
• For safety, minor traffic delays on the Mamquam Forest Service Road may occur and the area will be monitored by traffic control personnel.

We appreciate your patience as we safely complete these activities.

We’ve been working closely with the District of Squamish as we move forward with a temporary construction laydown yard northeast of Valleycliffe, which we plan to begin preparing in late March. This follows the District of Squamish Council decision in fall 2024 to approve a Temporary Use Permit for the yard, and issuance of the permit this month. The construction laydown yard will be used for storing equipment and materials, as well as parking and fuelling. These activities reflect a reduction in uses from our initial plans. In particular, we no longer intend to use an approximately 2.5 acre portion of land on the west side of the approved area, reducing the number of trees to be cleared, nor will we use site offices as originally planned. The yard’s location was selected in consultation with Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), whose land we are leasing for the yard.
 
Beginning in late March crews will be undertaking vegetation and tree clearing at the temporary construction laydown yard, as well as along our new right of way.

• The new temporary construction laydown yard will be located near the intersection of Mamquam River Forest Service Road and Powerhouse Springs Road.
• Clearing works will generally occur from 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturdays.
• There will be trail closures in this area, including the Connector Trail north of the construction laydown yard. Closed areas are highlighted in yellow on the map below.
• Minor traffic delays on the nearby Forest Service Roads may occur to accommodate large trucks and the area will be monitored by traffic control personnel.

We’ve notified nearby residents and local recreational groups to help bring awareness to this work and inform their trail-use planning. For safety and awareness, we’ll also be posting trail closure signage.

Thank you for your patience, as we complete this work safely, and as quickly as possible.

Beginning mid-March through to mid-May, our contractors will be transporting by truck from the BC Rail site to Squamish Terminals.

Throughout this period, we anticipate making roughly 12 round-trips every three days. Deliveries will occur 7 a.m.–8 p.m., Monday to Friday, and on Saturdays between 8 a.m.–7 p.m. if required.

Trucks will be travelling on the District of Squamish’s designated truck routes including Third Avenue, Vancouver Street, Loggers Lane, Cleveland Avenue, Highway 99, Industrial Way, Queens Way and Government Road.

We thank you for your patience as we work to transport these materials safely.

Updated March 5, 2025, to reflect extended duration

Beginning the week of January 20, through to the end of March, crews will be conducting approximately four controlled blasts daily in a remote area along Ray Basin Road, accessed via the Mamquam Forest Service Road. Controlled blasting is a standard construction method used to safely break apart rock to prepare for gas pipeline construction.

FortisBC has been conducting blasting activities in the nearby area for several months now. Along Ray Basin Road, roughly four daily blasts will occur between the hours of 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday to Saturday. Ray Basin Road will remain closed during this time, monitored by security.

Similar activities will continue northwest along the new right of way towards town as construction continues into 2025. We appreciate your continued patience as we safely complete this work. We will continue working with residents, businesses, and recreational user groups to notify them of nearby activities as construction progresses.

For safety, we ask that the public please avoid entering restricted areas during this period. If you have any questions or concerns, or if you would like more information about the project, please contact the FortisBC team at [email protected] or 1-855-380-5784. You can also sign up for our email newsletter for the latest on construction activities.

Our contractor has resumed tunnelling at the BC Rail site on the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline Project in Squamish.

During a pause in tunnelling, our contractor made ground improvements to allow crews to safely enter the front of the tunnel boring machine to complete required inspections. These inspections have been completed and tunnelling work has resumed.

Throughout the pause in tunnelling, we worked closely with our regulators, including Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation). We will continue working with our regulators to uphold the conditions of the project.

Construction continues to advance in Coquitlam on the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline Project. Since starting construction in Coquitlam earlier this year, we’ve:

• installed more than two of the required three kilometres of new gas pipeline northwest of Westwood Plateau;
• levelled a portion of ground within the existing footprint of our Eagle Mountain Compressor Station that will enable the installation of two new electric-powered compressor units; and
• completed the majority of brush and tree clearing to create space for the new electric substation in Eagle Mountain Park and 950 metres of new powerlines to connect back to and power the new electric compressor units once installed.

We anticipate finishing installation of the new gas pipeline in early 2025 . Construction of the new electric substation and powerlines is expected to begin in the spring, and we anticipate starting installation of the two new electric compressor units by fall 2025.

Starting the week of November 25, crews will return to Finch Drive to carry out pre-construction activities to help further identify the location of existing underground utilities.

This work is anticipated to last about one week and will include the following:

• surveying
• electronic roadway scanning
• using water pressure (hydrovac) to identify existing underground utilities

During these activities, single-lane alternating traffic will be in effect along Finch Drive, east of Highway 99. Work will take place between 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday to Friday, and if required, Saturday 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Access to residences and businesses will be maintained. There will be increased noise levels during this work. We’ve developed a detailed traffic management plan, including traffic control signage and flaggers to keep traffic moving safely.

Construction of the new gas pipeline in the area is tentatively planned for 2025.

We thank the public for their patience as we complete these activities.

Construction continues to advance on the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline Project in Squamish.

As an update on the tunnel component of the project, our contractor is investigating site conditions across from the BC Rail site near Government Road.  As a result, tunneling is currently paused as our contractor stabilizes the ground ahead of the tunnel boring machine to enable crews to carry out an inspection. We have been working closely with our regulators to confirm how we can progress the work in compliance with our regulatory approvals.

We are currently approximately 200 metres away from the Skwelwil’em Squamish Estuary and Wildlife Management Area— approximately the length of two football fields.

The use of an underground tunnel for this portion of the pipeline work was borne out of local Indigenous community input to protect the Skwelwil’em Squamish Estuary. A condition of approval by both Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and the BC Environmental Assessment Office is that there will be no surface impacts to the Skwelwil’em Squamish Estuary.

We are currently working with Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw to ensure our conditions continue to be met before tunneling resumes.

Crews are progressing pre-construction work along Finch Drive and Industrial Way as we continue identifying the location of existing underground utilities.

On October 1, 2024, crews will begin working at the intersection of Highway 99 and Industrial Way.

• To reduce impacts to the public, work will be completed overnight between 7 p.m. – 6 a.m. during weekdays.
• During these activities, single-lane closures will be in effect on Highway 99.
  Access to residents and businesses will be maintained, unless previously communicated. There will also be an increase in noise. This phase of work is anticipated to last approximately one week.

We believe in working with the community to reduce impacts. We’ve developed a detailed traffic management plan, including traffic control signage and flaggers to keep traffic flowing safely. We’ve also informed nearby local residents and businesses about this phase of work.

Construction of the new gas pipeline in the area is tentatively planned to occur in 2025.

We thank the public for their patience as we complete these activities.

We have heard through years of engagement an overwhelming preference for the Lodge proposal as the best way to mitigate workforce impacts in Squamish. This plan was approved by Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and the BC Environmental Assessment Office in 2023, based on a comprehensive set of conditions. We are grateful for the input we received from Indigenous Nations, local organizations, and community members who invested their time and expertise into shaping our proposal.

Construction is continuing on the EGP project and our construction timeline will not be impacted by this decision. We will move forward with alternate plans for our worker accommodations, which includes utilizing local accommodations, with some workers commuting from out of town during peak periods of construction. We remain committed to working with the community to reduce impacts as best we can.

We are currently reviewing the District of Squamish’s conditions with respect to the Temporary Laydown Yard.

To support the installation of two new electric-powered compressor units at the existing Eagle Mountain compressor station in Coquitlam, as well as the new electric substation and 950 metres of new power lines in Eagle Mountain Park, we’ll commence brush and tree clearing activities in advance of construction.

Beginning Monday September 16, nearby residents and recreational users may notice increased work in the area. Additionally:

The work will happen in an area near the BC Hydro Meridian Substation, extending northwest toward FortisBC’s existing Eagle Mountain Compressor Station in Coquitlam.

Work will take place between 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday to Friday, as well Saturday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. To reduce inconvenience, the majority of work will be from 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.

This work is expected to continue through to late November.

There will be intermittent road and/or trail closures in the Eagle Mountain Park area, as required. We will use advance notice signboards as early as feasible to inform nearby residents and recreational users before implementing the closures.

As a result of this activity, the community may see more trucks on the road starting late October.

We appreciate the community’s patience as we safely work to complete these activities.

Overall, construction in Coquitlam will include three kilometres of new gas pipeline northwest of Westwood Plateau and the installation of two new electric-powered compressor units at our existing Eagle Mountain Compressor Station. To support the new compressor units, we’ll build a new substation in Eagle Mountain Park that will connect back to our compressor station through approximately 950 metres of new power lines.

If you have any questions about this work, we encourage you to reach out to the FortisBC team at [email protected] or call 1-855-380-5784. You can also sign up for our email newsletter for the latest on construction activities.

As part of our ongoing maintenance to the Mamquam Forest Service Road in Squamish, we’re preparing to apply a suppressant to control dust.

The week of August 26, nearby residents, and recreational users may notice crews working on the road. Additionally: 

• The work will happen along an approximately 7 kilometre stretch of the Mamquam Forest Service Road, between kilometre 0 to 6.9.
• The area will be managed by traffic control and there will likely be single lane alternating traffic to allow the product to settle.

We appreciate the community’s patience as we safely work to complete these activities.

In preparation for construction of the new gas pipeline along Finch Drive and Industrial Way, crews will be undertaking activities to help identify the location of existing underground utilities. 

This work is anticipated to occur from mid-August into September, and will include the following:

• surveying
• overhead wire flagging
• electronic roadway scanning
• accessing manholes
• using water pressure (hydrovac) to identify existing underground utilities
• groundwater sampling

During these activities, single-lane alternating traffic will be in effect along Finch Drive and Industrial Way.

Access to residences and businesses will be maintained, unless previously communicated. There will also be increased noise levels during this work.

We believe in working with the community to reduce impacts. We’ve developed a detailed traffic management plan, including traffic control signage and flaggers to keep traffic flowing safely. We’ve also informed nearby local residents and businesses about this work to support their road-use planning.

Construction of the new gas pipeline in the area is tentatively planned for later in 2024, or 2025.

We thank the public for their patience as we complete these activities safely, and as quickly as possible. 

To support the installation of three kilometres of new gas pipeline in Coquitlam, we’ll commence drilling and hammering activities to break apart hard sections of rock and to level the ground in advance of excavation.

Beginning Thursday, July 25, nearby residents and recreational users may notice increased noise and vibrations from this work. Additionally:

• The work will happen along FortisBC’s right of way, extending roughly 1.2km northward from the Eagle Mountain Compressor Station in Coquitlam. 
• Work will continue from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday. To reduce inconvenience, the drilling and hammering activities will generally be from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.  This work is expected to continue through to September, and we anticipate additional related work starting mid-August, including blasting activities to assist with breaking sections of hard rock.

We appreciate the community’s patience as we safely work to complete these activities.

Overall, construction in Coquitlam will include three kilometres of new gas pipeline northwest of Westwood Plateau and the installation of two new electric-powered compressor units at our existing Eagle Mountain Compressor Station. To support the new compressor units, we’ll build a new substation in Eagle Mountain Park that will connect back to our compressor station through approximately 950 metres of new power lines.

If you have any questions about this work, we encourage you to reach out to the FortisBC team at [email protected] or call 1-855-380-5784. You can also sign up for our email newsletter for the latest on construction activities.

We’ve spent years engaging the Squamish community to explore opportunities to reduce potential workforce impacts in Squamish from the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline (EGP) Project. Our ongoing engagement led us to propose a Temporary Workforce Lodge in 2022.

The Workforce Lodge was proposed as a key mitigation following three years of engagement with local government, Indigenous groups, agencies and information sessions held with the broader community. Through feedback, we’ve heard the lodge is the most effective way to address concerns about potential impacts related to housing, tourism, traffic and community safety. Our proposal for the lodge was approved in 2023 by Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and the BC Environmental Assessment Office (BC EAO).

We continue to work through the Temporary Use Permit (TUP) process with the District of Squamish based on our application submitted in December 2022, with a focus on securing the District of Squamish’s approval in time to construct the lodge and have it ready to house our main workforce peak anticipated in 2025.

As we await the District of Squamish’s TUP decision on the lodge, we continue to proactively implement measures to reduce potential impacts associated with the presence of a temporary workforce in Squamish.

With a focus on community safety and services, some measures that have been implemented since construction began include:

• the EGP Project Worker Code of Conduct, which sets the standard of conduct expected of everyone engaged in work on the project
• a cultural awareness orientation, which has been developed in collaboration with Indigenous communities and is required by all EGP Project construction personnel
• voluntarily paying the Municipal Regional and District Tax to local hotels for remittance to Tourism Squamish until operation of the lodge

To further support gender and cultural safety, new initiatives we’ve recently launched include:

• in-person gender and cultural safety education for the project workforce, to expand information about unique patterns of vulnerability for Indigenous women and girls and the types of personal conduct that supports gender and cultural safety
• providing a health and medical clinic for workers’ after-hours use, to enhance the resources to support worker well-being and reduce project-related use of local health services
• implementing a third-party reporting line for community members to report concerns regarding the respectful conduct of EGP Project workers in the Squamish community

FortisBC's amended Environmental Assessment Certificate for the project requires us to have a Gender and Cultural Safety Plan in place before the lodge is operational. This will be developed in consultation with Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw, the District of Squamish and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nation.

As we head into summer, we want to keep the public informed of construction activities for the Eagle Mountain - Woodfibre Gas Pipeline Project that may impact recreational users within the Coquitlam and Squamish areas. We’ve taken a number of steps to maintain public safety in and around our work areas.

Coquitlam

In Coquitlam, we posted signage and have spotters along key trails, roads and access points. We’ve also installed fencing along roughly 1.5 kilometres of our right of way adjacent to nearby trails in Coquitlam’s Eagle Mountain area. Recreational users should be aware of parking and intermittent trail closures in the Eagle Mountain area, along with increased noise levels as we prepare our Eagle Mountain Compressor Station for upgrades.

Squamish

In Squamish, the main activities to be aware of at this time are ongoing road maintenance and trucks travelling along the Mamquam and Stawamus Indian River Forest Service Roads. For safety, there is also a full closure of Ray Basin Road unless otherwise posted, due to high construction activity and traffic. Closures are also in place on the Stawamus Indian River Forest Service Road, beginning at approximately kilometre point 9.

To better support public understanding and help you make informed decisions when planning recreational activities, we developed maps for both communities.

We believe in working with local communities as we build this project and take steps in both Coquitlam and Squamish to reduce the impacts from our work. This includes communicating with local recreational user groups to help inform their planning, as well as opening impacted trails and roads when it’s safe to do so.

We appreciate your patience as we complete these construction activities safely, and as quickly as possible.

Early construction activities are progressing in preparation for the installation of the gas pipeline within the Indian River Watershed. The majority of work at this time is focused on upgrading and developing safe access for our crews. This includes upgrading roads, installing new culverts, and constructing temporary and permanent bridges. 

Some notable upcoming construction activities include: 

• Constructing and installing a temporary bridge across the Indian River in the Indian River Watershed to support pipeline construction activities. Our public notice with details can be viewed here. We anticipate construction to begin in May 2024 and to conclude in the fall.
• Moving ahead with a pipeline crossing of the Indian River in the Indian River Watershed. Our public notice from the Transport Canada process can be viewed here. We anticipate this work to take about two months, beginning later this summer. 

To prioritize safety while this work is underway, we’ve installed two gates along the Stawamus Indian River Forest Service Road (FSR) at kilometre point 3 and kilometre point 10 to prevent access when construction makes it unsafe to do so.

• From May until mid-June, the work being carried out will be south of kilometre point 10. This gate will be closed to restrict access without having to close the northern gate at kilometre point 3. 
• Starting mid-June, our work will continue north of kilometre point 10, at which time we’ll enact intermittent gate closures at kilometre point 3. 

Signage will be posted at the start of the Stawamus Indian River FSR and at the closure point advising the public of the closure hours. Please note that large trucks will continue using the Stawamus River Indian and Mamquam FSRs while travelling into Squamish and we encourage you to take the necessary precautions if using these roads. 

We’re committed to completing these activities in an environmentally responsible manner and have been closely engaging Indigenous groups on this work.

We thank you for your patience as we strive to complete this work safely and as quickly as possible.

As construction progresses, we have been clearing work space in the Stawamus Indian River Valley along our right of way. Our contractors have now begun transporting logs cleared through these activities, and we anticipate that this will continue over a roughly two-week period. Trucks will travel up the Stawamus Indian Forest Service Road (FSR) and along the Mamquam River FSR towards Highway 99 North for log sorting in Squamish.

We thank the public for their patience as we work to safely carry out these activities.

We’re using a tunnel solution for the portion of pipeline between Squamish and Woodfibre LNG’s site to protect and avoid surface impacts to the Skwelwil’em Squamish Estuary. This approach, which involves constructing a tunnel around 25 meters below the estuary, arose directly from Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) input when we began engaging on the EGP Project more than a decade ago.

After months of preparing the BC Rail and Woodfibre LNG sites, tunnelling is set to begin.

Beginning in early May, the public may notice additional trucks travelling to and from the BC Rail site. 

In particular:

• We anticipate a gradual increase of up to 20 roundtrip trucks per day to transport excavated tunnel material as tunnelling gets underway. The excavated material is soft ground soil from tunnelling.
• The trucks will primarily travel from the BC Rail site along Government Road, then south on Queens Way and east along Industrial Way to Highway 99. From there, the material will be transported to a licensed facility for disposal.
• The trucks are expected to operate from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

While noise levels associated with tunnelling are not expected to impact the community, continuous noise monitoring is in place at both sites.

If you have any questions about this work, we encourage you to reach out to the FortisBC team at [email protected] or call 1-855-380-5784.

To learn more about the tunnel and our commitment to protecting environmentally sensitive areas on all our projects, read our story on Protecting Diverse Ecosystems at every Stage of a Project.

We’ve received a Waste Discharge Authorization (WDA) from the BC Energy Regulator (BCER) to discharge treated water generated from tunnel construction activities at the BC Rail and Woodfibre LNG sites in Squamish. This authorization replaces the temporary approvals previously issued by the BCER, and allows us to carry out these activities for the duration of tunnel construction. All water generated through construction activities will be treated, prior to discharge, in accordance with the Environmental Management Act and to meet B.C. water quality guidelines.

As part of the WDA, we are required to carry out sampling and monitoring activities, to ensure that the treated water meets the B.C. water quality guidelines. The findings from the sampling and monitoring program are published in weekly reports.

FortisBC is enacting safety-related closures on the Stawamus Indian River Forest Service Road as construction on the project continues. These closures will allow crews to carry out continued work on improvements to the forest service road and construction of the gas pipeline. A gate will be installed approximately three kilometres from the road entrance to prevent users from accessing the area during times when construction makes it unsafe to do so. Intermittent closures will start in February 2024 with longer duration closures expected in 2025 and 2026. Signage will be posted at the start of the Stawamus Indian River Forest Service Road and at the closure point, advising the public of the closure hours. We appreciate your patience as we strive to complete this work safely and as quickly as possible.

We continue to upgrade our forest service roads in the Squamish area. Road upgrades and associated early works are progressing from kilometre 3.8 to the Ray Basin Road. Traffic impacts may include rolling single lane alternating traffic and periodic short closures until the end of February 2024. Ongoing road maintenance work will continue through 2024. We appreciate your patience as we work to complete these activities safely and as quickly as possible.  

Early construction activities on the Coquitlam portion of the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline Project are now underway. Starting in February, there will be an increase in these activities, which include surveying, locating buried facilities, access road upgrades and tree and vegetation clearing to help create the space and access needed for our materials and contractors to work.

As a result of this increased activity, the community will see more trucks on the road, and intermittent trail closures in the Eagle Mountain area.

Here’s what residents and Eagle Mountain trail users should know:

• The presence of additional trucks on the road may cause minor traffic delays. We anticipate an increase in truck traffic along roads such as Eagle Mountain Drive, Panorama Drive, Pinetree Way, Johnson Street, David Avenue and Pipeline Road. We will have traffic control personnel in place, as required, to safely direct and monitor trucks with oversized loads. 
• There will be intermittent trail closures in the Eagle Mountain Park area. Access to trails such as “Lungbusters” may be closed and advanced signage will be posted at trail parking locations and trailheads to keep the public informed.

The number of trucks on the road is expected to ease by early fall. Intermittent trail closures will continue through spring, summer and early fall. These closures will be minimized, and trails will be reopened as much as possible when the trails are safe for use.

We appreciate the community’s patience as we undertake this work and prepare our sites for construction. Upcoming construction will include:

• approximately three kilometres of new gas pipeline northwest of Westwood Plateau
• an expansion of our existing Eagle Mountain Compressor Station by installing two new electric-powered compressor units
• a new electric substation in Eagle Mountain Park
• about 950 metres of new powerlines to power and connect back to the new electric compressor units at our Eagle Mountain Compressor Station

We expect the main components of construction to begin by spring 2024 and to continue through to 2026. 

If you have any questions regarding the project, please feel free to contact us at [email protected] or 1-855-380-5784. You can also sign up for our email newsletter for the latest on construction activities.

We’re preparing for the start of construction in the Coquitlam area near Eagle Mountain.

In order to create the space and access needed for our contractors to begin construction, we’ve started some early preparation activities, including surveying. Other upcoming early preparation activities will include locating buried gas lines, preliminary tree and vegetation clearing, grading and access road upgrades.

Following the preparation activities, construction in Coquitlam will include three kilometres of new gas pipeline northwest of Westwood Plateau and installing two new electric-powered compressor units at our existing Eagle Mountain Compressor Station. To support the new compressor units, we’ll build a new substation in Eagle Mountain Park that will connect back to our compressor station through approximately 950 metres of new powerlines.

Construction will generally be from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Minor traffic delays may be required to accommodate large trucks and will be monitored by traffic control personnel. Access to trails may also be closed and advanced signage will be posted at trail parking locations and trailheads to keep the public informed. Trail closures will be minimized and trails will be reopened as quickly as possible when the location is safe for use.

We appreciate your patience as we work to complete these activities safely and as quickly as possible. If you have any questions regarding the project, please feel free to contact us at [email protected] or 1-855-380-5784. You can also sign up for our enewsletter for the latest on construction activities.

We are currently undertaking site preparation works at both the BC Rail and Woodfibre LNG sites in Squamish to support two tunnel boring machines that will be used to construct the project’s tunnel component. We will begin assembling the tunnel boring machines for operation underground. During this time, crews are expected to start working 24-hours a day into 2026.

We do not expect noise levels from tunnelling to exceed noise levels to date.

This underground tunnel solution allows us to fulfill our commitment to Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) to avoid surface impacts to the estuary. The tunnel will extend from the Woodfibre LNG site to the BC Rail site, passing under Monmouth Mountain and 25 metres below the Skwelwil’em Squamish Estuary waterbed.
 

The Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) and Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) have approved FortisBC Energy Inc.’s (FortisBC) application to increase our workforce lodge footprint for the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline (EGP) Project. This five-hectare increase enables us to house non-local workers in the Squamish-area at the lodge site, which directly responds to community feedback on reducing pressure on local housing, services, and traffic.

In fact, as a condition of EAO approval, all non-local workers in Squamish must stay at the lodge, except under certain conditions. Submitted as an amendment to existing environmental approvals from both the EAO and Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw, the lodge will house an average of 300 workers over the course of the project, with numbers peaking at approximately 600 workers in the summer of 2025.

As another condition of approval, FortisBC has taken early steps towards establishing a Gender and Cultural Safety Plan, which will be developed in consultation with Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw, the District of Squamish and sə̓lílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nation.

Some additional initiatives FortisBC has identified and will establish to support the safety of vulnerable peoples and the broader community include:

• A Worker Code of Conduct. Workers found to be in breach of this code will be removed from the EGP worksite;
• Mandatory cultural awareness orientation, including on topics regarding harassment and bullying;
• A Squamish Nation Elder in Residence at the Lodge;
• Prohibiting the possession, consumption, or distribution of intoxicants of any kind by a worker on, or when travelling to or from, an EGP Project site;
• 24-hour security and no unauthorized visitors;
• Regular communication with Indigenous nations, stakeholders and the public to collect feedback and address concerns;
• Ensuring a focus on mental health, both through health and wellness programming, and social and recreational offerings at the lodge;
• A confidential 24/7 reporting line for residents to bring forward concerns of worker behaviour in the community. A separate confidential line will be provided for residents of the lodge to bring forward concerns of bullying or harassment.

The change to the lodge footprint 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 approval in 2016. The final step prior to lodge construction will be to secure a Temporary Use Permit from the District of Squamish. We applied for this permit in December 2022, and anticipate a decision from the District in early 2024.

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

FortisBC awarded the contract for the pipeline component of the Eagle Mountain – Woodfibre Gas Pipeline Project to Surerus Murphy Joint Venture (SMJV) in August 2023. The project involves adding approximately 50 kilometres of new gas pipeline between Coquitlam and Squamish. SMJV will be responsible for the gas pipeline component, while other contractors will be responsible for the facilities and roughly nine-kilometre underground tunnel components.

Generally, the new gas pipeline will follow our existing gas line route to limit environmental impacts. Awarding the pipeline contract is an important step forward for the project, with construction anticipated to begin on or after August 28, 2023.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.