CAQ reiterates its interest in Quebec liquid natural gas terminal

The CAQ government is in favour of relaunching LNG-Québec, the controversial project to build a pipeline and LNG terminal in Saguenay to export Alberta natural gas.

Quebec refused to authorize the project in 2021 -- and Ottawa did the same in 2022 -- mainly for environmental reasons, but the Trump administration’s threats of tariffs are rekindling the need for Canadian hydrocarbon producers to diversify their export markets.

At a news scrum on Wednesday morning, Environment Minister Benoit Charette reiterated that he was in favour of the project, but that it had not qualified on the basis of the various criteria.

“Basically, we are not closed to energy projects that meet environmental criteria,” he said.

On Monday, in a letter to Premier François Legault, the leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec, Éric Duhaime, suggested relaunching LNG-Québec in order to “unlock Alberta oil” and ship it elsewhere than to the United States.

Duhaime is also calling for the construction of new oil pipelines in Quebec.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 5, 2025.