Natural Resources Canada is no longer involved in a proposal to build a biofuel facility on Semiahmoo First Nation land in South Surrey.
The move, shared Thursday (Feb. 29) in an , means $14.4 million in federal funding that was announced last summer, has been withdrawn.
鈥淎s of Feb. 16, 2024, Natural Resource Canada is no longer a Federal Authority for the Semiahmoo RNG Project as it will not be enabling the project,鈥� the update states.
鈥淭hus, NRCan no longer has a role in the assessment of environmental effects of the project under s.82 of the Impact Assessment Act.鈥�
The project 鈥� an 鈥渁naerobic digestion facility鈥� that would convert food waste to energy 鈥� was made public in June 2023, with news of NRCan鈥檚 funding support.
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At the time, the project was a partnership of SFN and Andion Global Inc., proposed for four acres of SFN land adjacent to Highway 99, approximately one kilometre north of the Canada-U.S. border and 40 metres back from the highway itself.
Andion has since become , an entity company officials in December said was simply the sale of an 80 per cent interest in its North American subsidiary to a team of its executive management, resulting in a 鈥渉ealthy, debt-free, stand-alone business.鈥�
鈥淲e stand 100 per cent behind, and will continue to develop all of our projects including the Semiahmoo RNG project,鈥� the company鈥檚 marketing head, Ashley Brookes, told Peace Arch News in December.
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The proposed facility has been a source of angst among area residents from the get-go, whose efforts to quash it have included a petition and a rally. Concerns include the potential impact of pollution, traffic and noise.
Opponents earlier this year questioned the impact of the corporate changes.
In a statement shared Saturday (March 2) morning, South Surrey-White Rock MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay noted that 鈥淭aurus (Andion) can apply for funding in the future but would have to re-start the process.鈥�
Members of the Clean Air Alliance have said they are 鈥渆lated鈥� about the latest federal funding decision, but they are not yet waving a victory flag.
NRCan was one of three government funding sources, spokesperson Suzanne Smith explained Monday (March 4); two remain, as well as private funding.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the wonderful outcome that we wanted鈥� but we have tempered enthusiasm because there are still other agencies involved,鈥� and because the project came together 鈥渋n secret,鈥� Smith told PAN, referring to that discussions had been underway for around four years before it became public.
At the same time, 鈥渋t was exciting that our voice finally was heard.鈥�
Alliance members are hopeful the federal-funding update will prompt other funding partners to also reconsider.
Smith encouraged those with concerns to continue reaching out to Metro Vancouver and Indigenous Services Canada. The alliance is also planning to host a townhall meeting in early spring, the details of which have not yet been finalized.
PAN has reached out to SFN and NRCan for comment.
