Woodfibre LNG seeks to add 2nd ‘floatel' to house work crew near Squamish
The company building a liquified natural gas (LNG) export terminal near Squamish is seeking to add a second 'floatel' to house its construction workforce in Howe Sound.
Woodfibre LNG said Thursday it was submitting an application to regulators to moor a second vessel with its current floatel, the MV Isabelle X, which would house nearly 1,000 additional workers.
'If approved, the addition of a second floatel creates more than 900 new jobs and allows Woodfibre LNG to answer the call to advance and diversify Canadian energy exports, provide more employment opportunities sooner and accelerate construction of the world's first net zero LNG export facility,' Woodfibre LNG CEO Luke Schauerte said in a media release.
2:10
Confusion over controversial floatel near Squamish
Activating Woodfibre's first floatel, a converted former cruise ship, proved to be a lengthy and controversial process.
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Housing the project's non-local construction workforce aboard a floatel was mandated through an amendment to Woodfibre's environmental assessment certificate in 2023, and backed by the Squamish Nation.
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But the District of Squamish council subsequently voted to deny the company a permit to moor the vessel, citing concerns about women's safety, increased traffic, waste management and natural hazards.
The district was ultimately overruled by the province's Environmental Assessment Office, which ordered the company to move more than 300 workers who had been living in a camp in Port Mellon and nearby hotels to the vessel.
2:27
B.C. orders LNG workers onto 'floatel' near Squamish
The company argues the vessel has since proved successful at housing workers while reducing impacts on traffic and the housing market in Squamish.
It said it will seek to retain Vancouver-based Bridgemans Services Group, the same company that procured and refitted the MV Isabelle X, for its second floatel.
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Woodfibre aims to produce 2.1 million tonnes of LNG for export annually starting in 2027.
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