Federal judge dismisses legal challenges to Woodfibre LNG’s ‘floatel’

A renovated cruise ship known as a "floatel" that Woodfibre LNG is using to house 600 construction workers at a liquefied natural gas export facility being built near Squamish, is seen at anchor in the harbour in Vancouver, on Thursday, May 9, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

OTTAWA — Canada’s Federal Court has rejected legal challenges disputing the approval of a so-called “floatel” used to house workers near Squamish, B.C., as they build a liquefied natural gas facility at an abandoned pulp mill.

The court ruled on two judicial review applications challenging the decision by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada to approve the use of a repurposed cruise ship to house workers for the Woodfibre LNG project.

The group Citizens for My Sea to Sky, which opposes the project, challenged the decision, saying it was unfair not to hold further public consultations after Woodfibre abandoned its original plan to ferry-in workers from Squamish and Vancouver.

The second review focused on claims of a “heightened risk” of gender-based violence faced by women in nearby communities due to an influx of “a largely male construction workforce” needed for the project.

The court ruling says B.C.’s Environmental Assessment Office imposed conditions to prevent gender-based violence, including forbidding workers from entering Squamish for non-work purposes, and the judge found no evidence those measures were “insufficient.”

The ruling says the federal agency acted reasonably and fairly when it found the floatel’s use “would not result in increased impacts on the environment.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23, 2025

The Canadian Press