Stop Woodfibre LNG & FortisBC Eagle Mountain Pipeline
Átl’ḵa7tsem / Howe Sound is one of British Columbia's most remarkable ecological recovery stories.
Once heavily polluted by mining and industrial activity, this ecosystem has benefited from decades of cleanup and stewardship, helping restore herring, salmon, marine mammals, and other species.
Today, that recovery is at risk.
Woodfibre LNG and the FortisBC Eagle Mountain Pipeline would transform Howe Sound into a major fossil fuel export corridor, bringing increased industrialization, greenhouse gas emissions, tanker traffic, underwater noise, pollution, and cumulative impacts to the region.
The SCCA has been involved in the review and oversight of this project for more than a decade, advocating for science-based decision-making, environmental accountability, and the protection of Howe Sound's recovering ecosystems.
Why We're Concerned
Climate Change: Woodfibre LNG would lock in decades of greenhouse gas emissions through fracking, gas processing, pipeline transport, liquefaction, and export. BC is failing to meet its climate targets. Expanding fossil fuel infrastructure is incompatible with a viable future on planet Earth.
Marine Ecosystems: Howe Sound is one of BC's great ecological recovery stories. Herring, salmon, marine mammals, seabirds, and globally significant glass sponge reefs have begun to recover after decades of industrial pollution. Woodfibre LNG threatens to reverse that progress through increased noise, vessel traffic, pollution, and habitat disturbance.
Water Pollution: Construction of the FortisBC Eagle Mountain Pipeline has already resulted in wastewater permit violations, bentonite slurry releases, stop-work orders, and the discharge of massive volumes of contaminated tunnel water into waterways connected to Howe Sound. Rather than enforcing compliance, regulators have repeatedly allowed construction to continue.
Industrialization of Howe Sound: Woodfibre LNG would transform Howe Sound into a fossil fuel export corridor. LNG tankers, work camps, flaring, marine traffic, and associated infrastructure would introduce decades of industrial activity into an ecosystem that communities have spent generations trying to restore.
Weakened Environmental Protections: Instead of strengthening environmental safeguards, regulators have repeatedly weakened them. In 2023, federal protections for seals and sea lions were dramatically reduced, and water quality monitoring requirements were weakened to accommodate project construction.
Regulatory Failure: The Woodfibre LNG project has become a case study in regulatory failure. Permit amendments, weakened conditions, compliance violations, and fragmented reviews have allowed the project to expand while limiting meaningful public oversight and accountability.
SCCA's Work Since 2015
The Sunshine Coast Conservation Association has participated in virtually every major regulatory process related to Woodfibre LNG and the FortisBC Eagle Mountain Pipeline.
Over the past decade, we have reviewed environmental assessments, submitted technical comments, challenged weakened environmental protections, tracked permit amendments, documented emerging impacts, and worked to ensure decision-makers are held accountable for their actions.
Working independently and in partnership with My Sea to Sky Society, our efforts have included:
• Participating in provincial and federal environmental assessment processes
• Reviewing project amendments and permit applications
• Raising concerns regarding herring, salmon, marine mammals, wastewater, cumulative impacts, and climate change
• Challenging weakened protections for seals, sea lions, and water quality
• Supporting legal challenges and regulatory appeals
• Opposing FortisBC wastewater permit amendments
• Advocating for stronger environmental oversight and public accountability
• Educating the public through reports, presentations, media engagement, and community outreach
For more than a decade, the SCCA has worked to ensure that the ecological, climate, and community impacts of this project remain visible, understood, and subject to public scrutiny.
Take Action
Protecting Howe Sound requires strong public participation, independent oversight, and ongoing advocacy.
There are many ways to support this campaign:
Donate: Support legal action, technical reviews, public education, and advocacy efforts to hold regulators and industry accountable.
Stay Informed: Follow campaign updates and learn about emerging issues, permit amendments, regulatory decisions, and opportunities for public participation.
Spread the Word: Share campaign updates with your friends, family, and networks. Public awareness is one of the strongest tools for protecting Howe Sound.
Speak Up: Participate in public comment periods, write decision-makers, and help ensure environmental concerns are heard.
Join the SCCA: Become a member. Together, we can help ensure that the future of Howe Sound is guided by science, accountability, and respect for the ecosystems and communities that depend on it.
Updates on the Stop Woodfibre LNG Campaign
Federal Bill C-15: Buried Clauses Erode Environmental Protections
Environmental laws are the backbone of conservation. We need environmental laws because ecosystems collapse, species disappear, and communities are harmed when decisions are made without science, accountability, or limits. That is why the Sunshine Coast Conservation Association (SCCA), alongside environmental organizations and democracy advocates across Canada, is raising the alarm about dangerous clauses buried deep […]
2025 Year-End Report: Tending What Lasts
As we close out 2025, we’re pleased to share the Sunshine Coast Conservation Association’s 2025 Year-End Report — a snapshot of a year defined by transition, persistence, and long-term thinking. This past year brought both meaningful progress and moments of loss. We said goodbye to our founder, Daniel Bouman, whose legacy continues to shape our […]
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GIVING TUESDAY 2025
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Energy Mines and Low Carbon Innovation: Question to 2024 Provincial Candidates
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FortisBC’s Toxic Water Pollution in Átl’ḵa7tsem / Howe Sound
FortisBC will be moving forward with construction of a 14 foot wide, 9 km tunnel, causing toxic ecosystem consequences. Defend what you love, and help us stop destructive construction from Woodfibre LNG and FortisBC. Read more!
Challenging Woodfibre LNG and Fortis BC
The SCCA has partnered up with My Sea to Sky Society to challenge project approvals for the Woodfibre LNG Project. Standing up for species at risk Earlier this year, federal environment Minister, Steven Guilbeault amended the 2018 Federal Decision Statement to allow Woodfibre LNG to reduce the monitoring area for seals and sea lions by […]
Don’t Let Woodfibre LNG Roll Back Decades of Cleanup in Howe Sound
The SCCA is collaborating with My Sea To Sky to protect Howe Sound against environmental degradation from the Woodfibre LNG project and associated FortisBC pipeline. Woodfibre LNG has applied for a permit from the B.C. Energy Regulator (BCER) to discharge millions of cubic metres of toxic construction effluent into Átl’ḵa7tsem / Howe Sound. Late last […]