Where are the benefits Woodfibre LNG promised?

What is happening?

Woodfibre LNG is offering a municipal tax agreement of $142 million over ten years ($14.2 million per year on average).

This is ten million dollars less per year than the average tax rate for communities with major industry across BC. This will not increase with inflation or if Woodfibre LNG doubles or triples in size.

Do you get a deal on your taxes? No! Why should Woodfibre LNG?

Tell council to reject Woodfibre LNG's terrible tax deal. Personalized letters are much more impactful.

Example speaking points

• Share if you own a home and/or business.
• Why would we lock in a deal that prevents future benefit if Woodfibre LNG expands?
• Why would we lock in a deal that shifts the tax burden to home owners and business owners?
• The District's 2026-2035 Financial Plan identifies several pressures on municipal finances, including: aging infrastructure, inflation and higher costs, higher RCMP costs, transit expansion, and climate preparedness.
• Squamish is one of the fastest growing populations in Canada, and we need tax revenue so we can invest in critical infrastructure and services including roads, drinking water, waste management, parks and recreation, fire and emergency services, and more.
• Where are the economic benefits for Squamish?
• What infrastructure and services do you rely on and want the District to invest in?
• How has Woodfibre LNG impacted you and your family? Our community is dealing with massive noise and disruption during construction, increased housing prices, more crime and traffic accidents, environmental destruction and pollution. Our community will be breathing in the harmful pollution from Woodfibre LNG's facility and the flarestack, and FortisBC's gas-powered compressor station.
• Woodfibre LNG's lawsuits are a clear intimidation tactic to try to bully the District and avoid paying its fair share in taxes.

How much should Woodfibre LNG pay in taxes?

Municipal tax rates are determined by council every year based on community needs and can be adjusted to offset depreciation. Council identifies how much revenue is needed to pay for critical services and sets the tax rates for residential, commercial, utilities, farms, managed forests, supportive housing, light industry, and major industry.

For 2026, the District of Squamish set the major industry tax rate at $125 per $1,000 of assessed value, which generated $8 million in taxes from Woodfibre LNG during construction.

The average tax rate for B.C. communities with major industry in 2026 was $40.57 per $1,000 of assessed value (ranging from $3.44 to $125.24). How did we calculate this? See Assessed Values - Schedule 701 to identify which communities have an assessed value for Major Industry in 2026, and average the Major Industry tax rate listed in Tax Rates - Schedule 702 for those communities.

We don't know what Woodfibre LNG's assessed value will be, but District staff conservatively estimate $400–600 million. See FAQ #21.

Here is how much tax revenue could be generated from Woodfibre LNG every year:

Comparison to other communities

Before it closed in 2006, the Woodfibre pulp mill in Squamish paid a tax rate of $58.86106 per $1,000 of assessed value. If Woodfibre LNG paid a similar tax rate, it would contribute $24 to $36 million in taxes every year.

Before it closed in 2021, the pulp mill in Powell River paid a tax rate of $55.5017 per $1,000 of assessed value.