SkeenaWild Conservation Trust v. Government of Canada

Summary:

On October 27, 2016, the NGO SkeenaWild Conservation Trust filed an application for judicial review of the Canadian Minister for Environment's decision to approve the Pacific Northwest LNG Project. The project consisted of a natural gas liquefaction facility and export terminal on Lelu Island. If built, the claimants alleged that the project would have significant impacts on the salmon population in the Skeena watershed and would be one of Canada's largest single point source emitters of greenhouse gas (GHG). The claimants alleged that the decision to approve the project was based on a flawed environmental impact assessment that failed to adequately consider, among other things, the cumulative environmental impacts of the projects GHG emissions. The claimants relied on the precautionary principle in their submissions, among other issues.

The case was withdrawn after Petronas, the primary project proponent, withdrew from the project in July 2016 citing changes in market conditions.

At Issue: Whether the Minister for Environment and Climate Change Canada's decision to approve a liquid natural gas project should be set aside based on a flawed environmental impact assessment