BC Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson was in Kitimat Wednesday (Oct. 14) afternoon to announce the BC Liberals’ support for a second LNG export facility.
“We will be glad to support a second LNG export facility being developed right here in British Columbia,” Wilkinson said. “There are a few proponents in the wings; we want to encourage them to come forth and get involved in the B.C. economy so we can take that Peace River gas and export it to the world.”
Wilkinson said the BC Liberals are proud of the province’s natural resources and those who work in the natural resource services, including forestry, mining, and energy. He added that there needs to be more LNG development in Canada, in particular in Northern B.C., and that it’s time to start bringing these conversations forward to shed light on the benefits of resource development.
“We want to make sure we’re getting the maximum value out of that valuable natural gas, and a good way to do it is to encourage not only the basic industries, but the secondary value add industries, as well,” Wilkinson said. “We have to encourage these kinds of projects because they’re the lifeblood of our economy.”
Wilkinson visited Terrace in the morning and Kitimat in the afternoon, but unfortunately did not have the time to visit any other ridings in the North before he flew out to continue his campaigning.
“We flew in this morning, in Terrace this morning, Kitimat this afternoon, then it’s back on the campaign trail this afternoon,” Wilkinson said. “So, I hope this is a sufficient visit to the North Coast.”
Along with resource development, Wilkinson said infrastructure was an important topic, and that he would support funding a second vehicle overpass in Terrace, as issues can arise currently when emergency vehicles need to cross one of the bridges safely and quickly.
“Cities like Terrace incur costs in order to make our resource industry successful. And there should be a vehicle working with the province of British Columbia to find a way for mutual funding for those projects to make it possible for the towns to prosper,” Wilkinson said, adding that he is “fully supportive of the idea and I think it’s time for these things to come to reality.”
Wilkinson was in Kitimat along with Ellis Ross, the Skeena riding BC Liberal candidate, and Roy Jones Jr., who is the BC Liberal MLA candidate for North Coast.
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