On September 15, 2025, the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, approved the Ksi Lisims LNG – Natural Gas Liquefaction and Marine Terminal Project to proceed to the permitting stage.
The decision followed a substituted impact assessment conducted by British Columbia in cooperation with the Nisga’a Nation, under the principle of “one project, one review.”
The assessment examined potential adverse effects in areas of federal jurisdiction. While some impacts were identified as significant, they were considered limited once mitigation measures were included.
The Minister stated that these effects are justified in the public interest. The decision was made in the broader context of economic reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, self-determination for the Nisga’a Nation, diversification of Canada’s trade, and potential economic benefits for regional communities.
The project proponents — the Nisga’a Nation, Rockies LNG Limited Partnership, and Western LNG LLC — must meet legally binding conditions set out in the Minister’s Decision Statement. These requirements include reducing impacts on fish and birds, protecting Indigenous health, socio-economic conditions, cultural heritage, and land use, and addressing potential effects on Indigenous rights. Follow-up programs will verify the accuracy of the assessment, test the effectiveness of mitigation measures, and maintain engagement with Indigenous groups throughout the project’s lifecycle.
The decision is the first approved substituted assessment under the amended Impact Assessment Act (2024) and British Columbia’s Environmental Assessment Act (2018). The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada provided federal expertise, consulted Indigenous groups on federal conditions, and will enforce compliance with binding measures.
The Nisga’a Final Agreement, the first modern treaty in British Columbia, played a role in shaping the process, and this project is the first to incorporate its specific requirements. Indigenous groups, including the Gitga’at First Nation, Gitxaala Nation, Council of the Haida Nation, Kitselas First Nation, Kitsumkalum First Nation, Lax Kw’alaams Band, Metlakatla First Nation, and Nisga’a Nation, were consulted.
Concerns about increased marine shipping along the north coast were raised, and the federal government indicated it would continue dialogue on these broader issues.
Rockies LNG Limited Partnership is a consortium of Canadian natural gas producers established to advance liquefied natural gas export opportunities from western Canada. It operates as a partnership rather than a single corporate entity.