Trigon Terminals says it is commencing legal action to ensure it is able to develop its planned liquid petroleum gas (LPG) export terminal.

After the company announced its plans in early November to redevelop its coal terminal to enable the export of LPG, its landlords, the Prince Rupert Port Authority, denied its ability to do so. The port says it has given exclusive rights for LPG exports to Altagas and Royal Vopak’s proposed Ridley Island Energy Export Facility, which is in the land-clearing stage despite the companies having not come to a final investment decision.

Not waiting for any legal decisions, Trigon announced work on its LPG project is well-underway. They say preliminary engineering, rail design and risk assessment planning have been started and should be finished in the spring next year.

The November announcement of Trigon’s plans to redevelop its Prince Rupert terminal to include LPG was largely in response to planned federal thermal coal export bans, which could come into effect by 2030.

If all goes to plan, the company says its LPG project could begin by the end of 2027. The company says its on-site storage capacity for LPG, namely butane and propane, would be about 120,000 cubic metres.

READ MORE: Water leak creates detours in downtown Prince Rupert

Trigon CEO Rob Booker said the company has received positive feedback on the disputed project.

“Repurposing and ‘upcycling’ a portion of our terminal is good for everyone – the Canadian economy, Canadian producers, the people we employ and the communities we support,” said Booker.

“This is evidenced by the strong support we have received from customers near and far, local communities, our union and Trigon’s Indigenous partners.”

Trigon’s update came on the same day as the PRPA’s announcement that work on the Ridley Energy Export Facility (REEF) project had begun.