Woodfibre LNG offers extra $8 million security deposit; council to reconsider floatel permit

At the May 21 council meeting, the council decided 4-3 to reconsider the Temporary Use Permit application for a floatel at an upcoming council meeting on June 4. Mayor Armand Hurford and Councilors John French, Eric Andersen, and Andrew Hamilton supported the motion. Councilors Jenna Stoner, Chris Pettingill, and Lauren Greenlaw opposed it.

Woodfibre LNG has offered an extra $8 million security bond to satisfy the District of Squamish’s concerns over the temporary accommodation. In a letter to the Council, Woodfibre LNG said that in addition to the $2 million letter of credit condition, the company is willing to provide a separate corporate guarantee for an additional $8 million.

The extra amount was proposed by Coun. Andrew Hamilton at a meeting in April.   “The change from $2 million to $10 million gives us that leverage and gives us the opportunity to hold WLNG accountable for their actions and to ensure they are sticking to the terms of the TUP,” Hamilton said.

Councilor Greenlaw said she would not support the motion, even with the offer to increase the security bond to $10 million.

“I appreciate that there’s been an offer to increase the security bond to $10 million. We learned today that the gender and cultural safety plan has been made publicly available, and I look forward to hearing feedback about that. I think those are good first steps but not yet sufficient for me to support the issuance of the TUP,” she said.

She said she would like to understand the cumulative impact of housing, a condition of the permit. She also questioned if the company was purchasing locally. “My understanding is that the local procurement piece we’re hearing from our business community is that that the are not being offered those opportunities,” she said.

Coun. Chris Pettingill said the council has heard very clearly from the community and the community was not satisfied and did not feel this made sense with the OCP and the community expectations. “I have numerous concerns in terms of enforcement or compliance with what we see in the conditions,” he said. “I think the community is quite clear in saying that since 2014, the proponents had a decade to address the need for permanent housing. So I think there are many things to address here.”

Councillors Eric Andersen and John French have supported issuing the TUP permit.

Meanwhile, WLNG president Christine Kennedy said the company is happy to discuss the proposal to provide additional security and how it aligns with District procedures and requirements.

“The company is sincere in our intention to minimize Project impacts in Squamish, and we strongly believe that the floatel, which is the community-driven and regulator-approved housing model, will allow Woodfibre LNG to accommodate the non-local Project workforce without impacting rental housing or community services in Squamish,” she wrote in a letter to council.

She also sought clarity from Mayor Armand Hurford on his comments to the media that “the conditions proposed by Woodfibre LNG” have “yet to satisfy everyone on Council” and that “at this point the ball is in the proponent’s court.” She said Woodfibre LNG has not proposed any conditions for the TUP. The company applied for the permit in August 2023, and district staff properly advanced the conditions of the draft permit put before the Council on April 30, 2024.

She added that Woodfibre LNG made a written offer of increased security in line with Councilor Hamilton’s comments during the Council meeting after confirming that doing so would not constitute “new information outside a public hearing.”