{"id":18281,"date":"2025-08-28T13:09:17","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T13:09:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rbc.com\/en\/?post_type=rbc_tl&p=18281\/the-power-sapping-ai-deepfake-menace"},"modified":"2025-09-12T14:21:51","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T14:21:51","slug":"emissions-energy-economics-canadas-latest-mega-project","status":"publish","type":"rbc_tl","link":"https:\/\/www.rbc.com\/en\/thought-leadership\/climate-action-institute\/climate-crunch\/emissions-energy-economics-canadas-latest-mega-project\/","title":{"rendered":"Climate Crunch: Emissions, energy & economics: Canada\u2019s latest mega project"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\u2794 Canada\u2019s EV battery plan is supercharged<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2794 The electric-jet era takes off at Billy Bishop airport<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2794 How to unsettle scientists<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Hot takes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u2794 Canada\u2019s EV battery vision takes shape.<\/strong> Volkswagen\u2019s Canadian battery arm PowerCo is pushing ahead with its St. Thomas, Ontario, gigafactory, with two construction contracts. The plant is slated to start production in 2027. But it\u2019s more than a construction milestone, it\u2019s a signal that Canada\u2019s high-stakes bet on EV supply chains is materializing despite tariff skirmishes and uncertain demand. For Ottawa and Ontario, the real test will be whether it can give Canada a foothold in North America\u2019s evolving battery supply chain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2794 Energy ambitions clash with sustainability. <\/strong>Ontario\u2019sproposal<\/a> to connect Alberta and Saskatchewan oil and gas to refineries in Southern Ontario and tidewater ports, including a new deep-sea port on the James Bay coast, is facing Indigenous pushback. Their key concern: They feel \u201cinvisible.\u201d The Indigenous Resource Network<\/a> is also concerned they are seen as roadblocks to project development, when in fact \u201cthey are in fact part of the solution,\u201d the IRN noted. This will be a recurring challenge as Canadian governments look to fast-track projects. Canada will need to get Indigenous groups on board to avoid project delays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2794 Scientists are unsettled. <\/strong>The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) stunned the climate academia world with a new report<\/a> that suggested \u201cCO2-induced warming might be less damaging economically than commonly believed.\u201d Talk about unsettling the science community. Several websites including Nature<\/a> and Carbon Brief<\/a> have published pointed ripostes, but the new DoE report is challenging accepted wisdom on climate. Will the UN\u2019s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) move swiftly with a rebuttal? Its next assessment report<\/a> is not due till mid-2028.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Emissions, energy & economy: Assessing Canada\u2019s latest mega project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ksi Lisims LNG project is ready for its spotlight. The Indigenous-backed project is waiting for an environmental assessment (EA) order from the B.C. government that could potentially see the natural gas export project proceed. The province\u2019s ministers of environment and parks and energy are set to decide by September 7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s how the project could impact Canada\u2019s economy, emissions and energy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who\u2019s behind it:<\/strong>  The Nisga\u2019a Nation, a self-governing First Nation on the Pacific Coast. Western LNG, backed by an affiliate of investment heavyweight Blackstone Inc., is a partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Location:<\/strong> Right next to the U.S. border on Pearse Island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Timelines:<\/strong> The EA was expected by Q4 2024,<\/a> so we are already playing catchup. The original application placed construction between Q2 of 2025 to Q4 of 2027, with operations beginning in 2028 (till at least 2058).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project description<\/strong>: Two floating LNG facilities, each with liquefaction processing units. Once fully complete, the project will handle up to two billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) and export around 12 million tonnes per annum of LNG.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who\u2019s opposing it:<\/strong> The project faces opposition from several environmental groups and Indigenous groups, including the Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs<\/a> and Lax Kw’alaams Band.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related infrastructure:<\/strong> An environmental certificate has been issued for the 780-kilometre Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT) project, which Nisga\u2019a and Western bought from TC Energy in 2024. If PRGT rings a bell, that\u2019s because it was the key conduit for the now-defunct Malaysian energy giant Petronas\u2019s LNG project proposal back in 2014. It was approved<\/a> even then, with amendments in July to address new environmental concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What about the project\u2019s emissions:<\/strong> The development expects to be net-zero ready by 2030, subject to an electricity agreement with BC Hydro. Project proponents say it would contribute 0.02% of B.C.\u2019s emissions and 0.002% of total Canadian emissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is that good?:<\/strong> The project claims to have a lower well-to-port emissions intensity compared to U.S. Gulf Coast projects (0.76\u20131.19 tonne of carbon\/tonne of LNG lower). At full production, Ksi Lisims LNG would emit 9\u201314 million tonnes less CO2e per year than a U.S. Gulf Coast terminal project.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Cool (your) jets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Is this the future of electric aviation?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RBC Thought Leadership\u2019s<\/a> Energy lead Shaz Merwat<\/a> was on the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport runway last week as Beta Technologies<\/a> Alia CX300 rolled out an all-electric aircraft. The conventional takeoff\/landing aircraft can be configured either as a passenger or cargo aircraft. Here are some cool specs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n