Latest news with #AdrianDix
Vancouver Sun
17-07-2025
- Health
- Vancouver Sun
B.C. restricts sales of two more diabetes drugs amid weight-loss demand
The B.C. government is restricting the sales of two more diabetes drugs to people outside Canada amid rising demand for the drugs for off-label weight loss use. On Thursday, the health ministry announced it is limiting the sales of GLP-1 drugs tirzepatide and dulaglutide — commonly known by their brand names Mounjaro and Trulicity — adding to current restrictions on sale of semaglutide, which include drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus. Both Mounjaro and Trulicity are prescription drugs approved to treat Type 2 diabetes, but like Ozempic, they have been promoted by celebrities and influencers who claim the drugs help with weight loss. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'Their off-label use for weight loss is driving shortages of the drugs in several countries, including the United States,' said Health Minister Josie Osborne in a statement. 'Our government is continuing to take action to ensure that people living with diabetes have reliable access to these essential medications.' Mounjaro and Trulicity, both manufactured by Eli Lilly & Co., can be purchased from pharmacies by B.C. residents, Canadian citizens and permanent residents, said the ministry. The drugs cannot be purchased, online and in-person, by non-residents or non-citizens. Non-Canadians can purchase the drugs if they have a prescription signed by a Canadian doctor or nurse practitioner and buy them in-person at the pharmacy. In early 2023, B.C. imposed conditions on the sale of semaglutide by pharmacies after it found an unusually high number of prescriptions were being dispensed by two internet pharmacies in B.C. Then-Health Minister Adrian Dix said about 15 per cent of Ozempic sales in the first two months of the year were purchased by U.S. residents, who typically order the medication online. About 30,700 Ozempic prescriptions were dispensed by B.C. pharmacies to people with U.S. addresses from Jan. 1 to April 19 that year, said the B.C. government. After the regulation took effect, from April 20 to May 31, Ozempic purchases to people with U.S. addressed dropped to 111. Ozempic has been approved in Canada for diabetes, but is often used off-label. Wegovy, made by Ozempic makers Novo Nordisk, was approved by Health Canada for obesity. chchan@
CBC
16-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
B.C. announces expansion of heat pump rebates to renters and condo owners
B.C.'s Energy Ministry has expanded a program to reduce energy use and lower bills for some apartment renters and condo owners. The expansion, part of the Clean B.C. Energy Savings Program, will provide up to $5,000 to support the purchase and installation of high-performance electric heat pumps in individual suites in multi-unit residential buildings, according to the province. "All British Columbians who need a heat pump should have access to one, to feel comfortable in their homes year-round, experience better energy efficiency, and save money. So, we're expanding our support to focus on helping apartment renters and condominium owners," said Adrian Dix, the minister of energy and climate solutions. It's part of $100 million allocated by the province to provide up to 8,300 rebates over two years and applies to suites in condo and apartment buildings that are six storeys and under and are currently heated by electricity. The government says the program will be expanded again in the fall to include those heated by fossil fuels, such as a gas-fired boiler. "We are encouraged by the expansion of the heat pump rebate program to renters and condo owners living in lower-rise MURBs," said Shauna Sylvester, the director of the non-profit Urban Climate Leadership. "It's been difficult for people living in these buildings to get relief from the extreme heat. This program is a step in the right direction in creating healthy, safe and resilient homes for more British Columbians."
Vancouver Sun
27-06-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Kitimat's LNG Canada set to make its first shipment: Here's what to know
The first phase of Kitimat's $40 billion LNG Canada export terminal marks the completion of its first production run, with its first shipment of natural gas expected in the coming days. A decade after the project first received regulatory approval, Premier David Eby said Wednesday the shipment heralds the largest private sector investment in B.C. history. 'It will result in a 0.4 per cent increase in the nation's GDP, just this project alone. It will bring billions of dollars in benefits to British Columbia and to the nation,' he said in Vancouver. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The project has been touted by the government and the industry as a way to support rural communities in northeastern B.C. and northwestern Alberta through the development of the Montney formation, which is estimated to hold roughly 90 billion barrels worth of natural gas, and reduce global emissions for countries reliant on coal. LNG Canada and its supply pipeline, Coastal GasLink, have been opposed by environmental advocates and some First Nations who argue the fracking needed to develop natural gas releases methane, a greenhouse gas that is 28 times more potent that carbon dioxide. Here are five things you need to know: LNG Canada announced its first production of LNG on Monday and the Gitxaała Territorial Management Agency told CFNR Network that the first shipment is expected to transit through their territory in the coming days. The project is expected to export 14 million tonnes of natural gas annually, with the potential for export levels of up to 28 million tonnes each year if Phase 2 of LNG Canada goes ahead. The shipments are primarily to Japan and South Korea, but could also be sent to Vietnam and China. 'The benefit for the Northwest and for the province is significant,' Energy Minister Adrian Dix said. 'I think British Columbia has a great story to tell on the quality of our product on emissions, on the value of our natural gas and I think that puts us in a good position.' B.C. estimates that LNG Canada could be $575 million annually for 40 years, for a total of as much as $23 billion. The site as it exists now will sustain 300 permanent jobs, mostly residents from Kitimat and the surrounding area. Phil Germuth, mayor of Kitimat, said the second phase of LNG Canada could create an additional 100 to 150 jobs. 'This project has really put Kitimat on the map,' he said. 'We're looking for other opportunities, whatever that may be. I think we clearly have a new federal government now that's really wanting to capitalize on our resources. So we hope to be a part of that.' The second phase of LNG Canada is awaiting a final investment decision from the consortium of Shell, Petronas PetroChina, Mitsubishi Corporation and the Korea Gas Corp that owns the project. The project has received all necessary federal and provincial permitting and approvals. The remaining issue is whether there will be enough demand for the expansion and if it's financially viable as the global supply of LNG is rapidly increasing with countries such as Qatar and the U.S. building their supply. Clark Williams-Derry, an energy finance analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, said there is a 'glut' in the market that makes it difficult for companies invested in LNG Canada to make money on new projects. He also said that Canada getting into the LNG market could lead to spikes in local prices as demand increases. 'You may have a case where Shell is losing money, and consumers are paying higher prices, and the only people who are making any benefit are the royalties that go to the government,' he said. There are five LNG projects in B.C. at various stages of development, with LNG Canada the largest and closest to being in operation. The others include the Ksi Lisims LNG project, a partnership between the Nisga'a First Nation and Western LNG, Woodfibre LNG near Squamish and Cedar LNG, majority owned by the Haisla First Nation. The final project is the second expansion of the Tilbury LNG facility in Delta owned by FortisBC. The LNG projects are expected to produce 47.5 million tonnes annually and the government projects that before all the projects are completed, natural gas revenues could double to $1.4 billion by 2027. Dix said LNG Canada's product is less carbon intensive than its competitors, adding it will release 0.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per ton of LNG, compared to the international average of 1.5 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Green interim leader Jeremy Valeriote said the problem is there is no data on how much methane could be released into the atmosphere from LNG Canada and there is very little discussion of the potential health impacts of flaring, including respiratory diseases. Valeriote said B.C. claims to have a study proving that LNG is better than using coal, but government has yet to produce it. 'Replacing coal with LNG is like replacing smoking with vaping,' he said. 'We don't really know the effects to overall health, but it's only a tiny, tiny degree of better, and it still has the same detrimental effects.' Williams-Derry also said there is evidence showing that LNG isn't working to replace coal in countries such as China and India, with gas providing only three per cent of their power for much of the last 10 years.
Globe and Mail
11-06-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Alberta working with oil companies on pipeline proposal, Danielle Smith says
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says her government is working with oil companies to try and secure a proposal for a new pipeline to the west coast – and says she expects Prime Minister Mark Carney to 'operate in good faith' on the pipeline issue. The Alberta government has also pitched Mr. Carney on a kind of quid pro quo, in which oil companies commit to building the Pathways carbon capture project if he greenlights an oil pipeline. Oil and gas pipelines have come into sharp focus in the wake of President Donald Trump's trade war, as Canada's fossil fuel sector searches for more opportunities to diversify itself from the United States, its largest customer. Mr. Carney has also pledged to make Canada into an energy superpower, but Ms. Smith says meeting that goal will rely on new pipelines that can transport Alberta oil and gas to a Canadian coast –west, north or east – for access to overseas markets. British Columbia's Energy Minister, Adrian Dix, recently shut down the idea of a new pipeline in the province, citing the impracticality and massive costs associated with such a proposal. But Ms. Smith told the Global Energy Show in Calgary on Wednesday that she's confident she can convince the province's premier, David Eby, of the merits of an oil pipeline. 'We're doing what we can to address the legitimate concerns that we heard,' Ms. Smith said. 'What I've heard them say recently is there's no project - no project and no proponent. Well, that's my job. There will be soon. We're working very hard on being able to get industry players, private-sector players, to realize this time might be different.' Ms. Smith said there may be a consortium of companies interested in joining forces to build a pipeline. If so, she said Alberta would work with the group to test out Mr. Carney's promised two-year approval process for major infrastructure projects. 'We know that it's a chicken-and-egg problem, that no one's going to come forward with a project without some guarantee that's going to be approved,' she said. 'The Prime Minister, I want to take him at his word that he wants to operate in good faith. So we're going to operate in good faith.' The ultimate goal is to get an oil pipeline onto a list of major infrastructure projects being developed by the federal government. Ms. Smith said she also wants to see the Pathways Alliance carbon capture project on that list. The Pathways Alliance is a consortium of Canada's six largest oil sands companies, which together have publicly committed to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from oil sands production by 2050. At the heart of the group's pledge is a 400-kilometre-long pipeline that would transport carbon captured at oil sands facilities to an underground hub near Cold Lake, Alta., reducing emissions by 22 megatonnes a year. The project could cost anywhere from $10-billion to $20-billion – an amount that's all expense, because there is no revenue associated with it, Ms. Smith said. 'But if you couple it with a million barrel-per-day pipeline, that allows you $20-billion worth of revenue year after year after year for the lifetime of that project. All of a sudden, a $10-billion to $20-billion cost to decarbonize looks a lot more attractive when you have a new source of revenue.' Ms. Smith said she doesn't believe it would be problematic to fill a new pipeline, given that Enbridge recently announced an open season on its Flanagan South pipeline expansion to the U.S. for 100,000 barrels, and drew 400,000 barrels of interest. 'What we are hearing from the energy sector is: Build it, they will come.'
Globe and Mail
10-06-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
B.C. Insider: Premier, Energy Minister say Alberta's pipeline proposals aren't viable
Hi everyone, Mark Iype this morning, filling in for Wendy Cox. Last week, B.C. Energy Minister Adrian Dix dismissed the idea of a new pipeline across the province, saying proposals coming from its immediate neighbour to the east are just not practical. 'We need projects that are actual projects – that are viable economic projects,' he said Wednesday, after the first ministers meeting held earlier in the week. 'With respect to pipelines and what we're seeing from the province of Alberta, we respond to practical proposals.' Canada's premiers met June 2 in Saskatoon, where discussions around 'nation-building' energy projects were front and centre. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith wants to find ways to ship more bitumen from her province, and has been pushing for the revival of the Northern Gateway pipeline project, which would move product to the northern coast of British Columbia. But Dix says there is no economic case for the project, which is why there are no private-sector proponents looking to step up. The minister's economic argument pointed out the high cost of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, which cost Canadian taxpayers $34-billion, about six times what the project was initially pegged at. Alberta's Energy Minister, Brian Jean, insisted that the project would be of national interest. 'Premier David Eby is on the record as saying that he will respect the Prime Minister's and Canadians' desire to build nation-building projects,' Jean said in a statement to The Globe and Mail last Wednesday. 'Of all the projects under consideration, this is the one that will lead to the most jobs, taxes, royalties and opportunities for Indigenous Canadians. This project is good for Albertans, British Columbians and Canadians.' Eby, however, is not on board. 'It's not my job to tell Premier Smith that her vision for a North Coast pipeline is many, many years off and there's no proponent at this point,' he said while on his trade mission to East Asia. 'My job is to ensure that British Columbians' interests are protected and promoted, and one of those ways that we're doing that is driving forward shovel-ready projects.' Both Dix and Eby also said that B.C. does not support the lifting of the ban on oil tankers off its coast, another of Smith's demands of the federal government. The initial Northern Gateway plan faced protests and lawsuits from Indigenous and environmental groups, and was also opposed by the B.C. government. The Federal Court of Appeal also ruled in 2016 that the Conservative government of Stephen Harper had failed to adequately consult Indigenous communities when it issued the conditional permit for the pipeline in 2014. The court ordered the new Liberal government to revisit the process, but then-prime minister Justin Trudeau killed the project. Enbridge formally withdrew the project in 2017. One expert, Amy Janzwood, an assistant professor in the department of political science and the Bieler School of the Environment at McGill University, said uncertainty about future demand for Alberta oil would likely keep the project shelved. 'The industry has not been in the market for new mega oil sands pipeline developments. They have long since moved away from this,' Janzwood told The Globe. 'I would be extremely shocked to see any kind of serious proposal, not to mention the political conflicts, Indigenous consultation and all of the challenges that come with mega infrastructure projects.' This is the weekly British Columbia newsletter written by B.C. Editor Wendy Cox. If you're reading this on the web, or it was forwarded to you from someone else, you can sign up for it and all Globe newsletters here.
