Quebec nixes LNG plant that would have carried Western Canadian natural gas to markets overseas

The Quebec government has refused to approve construction of a liquified natural gas (LNG) facility in the Saguenay, north of Quebec City, following years of opposition from citizens, Indigenous communities and environmental experts.

The decision, announced today by Environment Minister Benoit Charette, effectively kills a $14-billion project that would have carried natural gas from Western Canada across Quebec to the Saguenay port, then shipped it to markets overseas.

Premier François Legault’s government had initially been a proponent of the project, which it believed would bring high-paying jobs to the province. 

Criteria for approval not met, ministry says

But the government also set