We did it! We stopped Woodfibre LNG's terrible tax deal
September 28, 2026
Tracey Saxby
We did it!
Last Tuesday, the District of Squamish voted 5 to 2 to reject Woodfibre LNG's terrible tax deal!
Thank you to everyone that sent a letter or attended the meeting to show council it has strong community support to stand up for Squamish residents.
WATCH THE COUNCIL MEETING | SQUAMISH CHIEF | CBC NEWS
Debunking the B.S. online
The next elected council will be responsible for setting the major industry tax rate, which will determine how much Woodfibre LNG will pay every year.
Even if Woodfibre LNG pays the average tax rate for communities with major industry, it will pay at least $16–24 million every year. If Woodfibre LNG pays the tax rate the pulp mill used to pay, it will contribute $24–36 million every year.
We're not locked into a terrible deal without knowing Woodfibre LNG's assessed value, that won't increase with inflation, or if Woodfibre LNG doubles or triples in size.
Do you get to put your name on a building when you pay your damn taxes? No? That's what Woodfibre LNG was asking for, turning its civic duty to pay taxes into a branding opportunity.
If Woodfibre LNG defaults on its payments, the terms of the Community Enhancement Payment Agreement could have put Squamish at risk. It is much safer for Squamish to use regular taxation mechanisms to ensure Woodfibre LNG pays its fair share.
Now we can start a conversation about what our community needs to upgrade critical infrastructure and services.
How much should Woodfibre LNG pay in taxes? A frack tonne more than $14.2 million on average, that's for sure.
This is why we keep fighting. The last few weeks our community stood together to hold Woodfibre LNG accountable and fight corporate greed.
I've been dancing all week. Please celebrate this win with me.
Tracey Saxby
Executive Director
My Sea to Sky
My Sea to Sky is incredibly proud and grateful to say that we rely on the My Sea to Sky community for small donations that provide the majority of our funding. Since our launch in 2014, we have been funded through personal savings, family and friends; and powered by the passion of our volunteers. Your generous contribution will help us to run our critical campaigns to defend, protect, and restore Átl’ḵa7tsem / Howe Sound. Can you chip in?