LNG Canada is throwing a celebration this August to mark the completion of its massive liquefied natural gas facility in Kitimat, capping five years of construction with a full day of music, food and festivities aimed at thanking the community for its support and patience.
Dubbed The Big Thank You Party, the event takes place Saturday, Aug. 16, at the Riverlodge Recreation Centre from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. The free outdoor event is open to all and promises entertainment for every age鈥攂ouncy castles, food and drinks, a beer garden in support of Kitimat General Hospital, and live music headlined by four-time JUNO-winning rock band The Sheepdogs.
鈥淭he Big Thank You Party is an opportunity for all of us to gather for a day of celebration and family fun, and to honour what we have accomplished, together,鈥� said LNG Canada Chief Operating Officer Theresa Watson. 鈥淔rom our inception to our final investment decision in 2018, and through our construction phase to loading first cargos this summer, LNG Canada has had the great fortune to collaborate and work closely with residents of Kitimat and Kitamaat Village, and people from surrounding communities. We are forever grateful for their constant support and understanding.鈥�
Local favourites The Rats, Hard Candy, and Haisla Braid will also take the stage. Guests must register to attend at thebigthankyouparty.com. Those who signed up by July 18 were entered into a draw to win a $500 gift card to Kyle鈥檚 No Frills.
Construction on the LNG terminal spanned five years and peaked with a workforce between 7,000 and 9,000 people. More than 50,000 Canadians contributed to Phase 1 of the project, including the Coastal GasLink pipeline. Since 2018, LNG Canada has awarded more than $5.8 billion in contracts and subcontracts to B.C. businesses and local First Nations.
Among the largest of those is a $500-million contract with HaiSea Marine, a joint venture between Seaspan and the Haisla Nation, which now provides battery-electric and low-emission tugboat services for LNG Canada鈥檚 marine operations.
Upon the build's completion, Kitimat Mayor Phil Germuth said the scope and early planning of the project left a lasting impression on the town.
鈥淲hen you have such a large project in such a small community, it鈥檚 been really amazing how LNG Canada did all the pre-planning to make sure any negative effects would be as small as possible,鈥� Germuth said. 鈥淎ll the efforts and resources they put in, even before they started construction, were about making sure the community was going to be taken care of.鈥�
LNG Canada shipped its first cargo June 30, a milestone acknowledged by leaders at every level of government, including the prime minister.
More information and event registration is available at thebigthankyouparty.com.
