Report says as many as 135,000 workers will be needed for B.C.’s LNG industry

VICTORIA – British Columbia will soon need over 75,000 skilled workers for the liquefied natural gas industry and another 60,000 to help with the construction of plants and pipelines.

The figures are contained in a report by the B.C. Natural Gas Workforce Strategy Committee, which was set up last year to help in understanding the needs of the industry.

Committee chairman Geoff Stevens says the report gives government and the industry an overview of the help in future decision making about LNG in the province.

Premier Christy Clark’s government is counting on a trillion dollar LNG industry, which she has said could help wipe out the province’s $62 billion debt.

Several LNG companies have already submitted export applications with Canada’s National Energy Board.

The NEB, Canada’s energy regulator, has issued three LNG export permits to Kitimat LNG located on the northwest B.C. coast.