By Oli Herrera

WEST COAST PLANT

Pineview residents still concerned following West Coast Olefins’ scrapped project

Oct 21, 2021 | 5:27 PM

PRINCE GEORGE—West Coast Olefins announced on Wednesday that it’s going to scrap its $5.6 billion dollar polyethylene plant for the BCR industrial site.

The CEO cited confusion and misinformation surrounding its NGL project.

“There’s a small group that has been spreading misinformation, incorrect information, and the effort it would’ve taken to correct it was just not worth it, and it was creating confusion the NGL recovery project,” said Ken James, CEO of West Coast Olefins.

The company CEO told CKPG News that it’s other half—the NGL recovery project proposed in Pineview—is still a go, pending approval from regulatory bodies.

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“That project is so good, why are we letting it be confused? [sic] We’re still left with the $1.5 billion project, so it’s significant,” said James.

Many residents of Pineview have been vocally against the project, citing the potentially serious negative environmental impacts.

While this is a win for some, the recent decision has also left many confused.

For residents like Carol Wood, If the Pineview project gets approved, part of it would be built right in her own backyard.

“There just seems to be a lot of unanswered questions surrounding this news release,” said Wood.

Some residents claim all of this could just be a ploy by WCO as a way to increase the chances of having its Pineview project approved.

“Is the total project gone? Or is it just looking for new investors?” said Wood.

“If Ken James goes ahead with the extraction plant there could be a lot of spin off projects. Ken James has talked about them in some of his interviews,” said Jan Erricson, Pineview Resident.

When asked if WCO has any plans to try and revive the scrapped project in the near future, the ceo responded saying it was not “on his radar.”

This was West Coast’s second attempt to build the petrochemical plant in Prince George. It previously failed to build in McLeod Lake as well.

James says there’s no plans to try and revive the project here in the near future, but other options are open.

“It may be Quesnel, it may be Williams Lake. I’ve had lots of people with interests. People in Houston say: ‘you could put it here,’ and I think that’s where it should be built [in communities that want it]. it should be built in communities that want it.” said James.

There are still residents opposing the NGL project and others who want clarification on it.

“Like there is no clarity to the longterm plans. You think you’re understanding them, then something like this, you’re not anymore,” said Wood.

Back in July, the CEO declined to attend a townhall discussion in Pineview about his project.

CKPG News asked if he would commit to having a townhall discussion with Pineview resident. He did not give an answer but instead said this.

“”Public forums are not the way you communicate, it’s not the way to have open dialogue. They just aren’t. We’re more happy to meet with a group of people that are genuinely want[ing] information. Where most important. this kind of discussion needs to be on a person by person basis.” said James.