LNG Canada is celebrating significant strides in 2023 as it moves toward opening its natural gas liquefaction facility in Kitimat, now over 85 per cent complete.

In a recent year-end update, LNG Canada CEO Jason Klein indicated the start of the new year will mark a pivotal step for the project.

鈥淲e reached our peak construction cycle this past fall, with more than 8,000 Canadians employed at our gas liquefaction and export facility,鈥� Klein said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e installed all 215 of the large modules required for our gas liquefaction process and completed other critical work scopes, safely.鈥�

LNG Canada is now gearing up for safe start-up activities. This phase involves extensive testing and fine-tuning of equipment, marking the start of LNG production. Three months of flaring is expected to start in the second quarter of 2024.

The overall startup will take more than a year to complete, the progress of which Klein said the company will continue to keep local communities and First Nations informed.

Meanwhile, HaiSea Marine, the Haisla-led joint venture that will operate and maintain low and zero-emissions tugboats guiding tankers in and out of Kitimat has already taken possession of several of its new vessels.

Meanwhile, TC Energy recently announced that the Coastal GasLink project, the pipeline that will deliver natural gas to the facility, is mechanically complete, ahead of schedule.

Klein also highlighted LNG Canada鈥檚 spending of more than $11 million on community-based programs, services, and infrastructure.

Additionally, LNG Canada says it has awarded more than $4.2 billion in contracts to B.C. businesses, with more than $3.3 billion going to First Nations-owned and local area businesses.

鈥淎cross our organization, we continue to look for ways to participate in reconciliation. That includes economic reconciliation,鈥� Klein said.

Klein also mentioned the company鈥檚 ongoing recruitment and expansion plans, including the proposed Phase 2 project, but without offering any details or timelines.