Building a stronger Canada
Environmental, economic, and social outcomes from converting a decommissioned fossil fuel plant into a clean energy campus serving twelve offtaker applications across Metro Vancouver.
Reconciliation and Indigenous economic partnership
The project structures Indigenous equity participation, employment targets, procurement commitments, and revenue sharing from inception. Aligned with TRC Call to Action #92 and UNDRIP.
Indigenous co-ownership strengthens political durability, expands Major Projects Office eligibility, and builds the broad community support that single-champion projects lack.
Environmental impact
Replacing diesel fuel across twelve offtaker applications in Metro Vancouver produces measurable air quality and climate outcomes in one of Canada's densest urban harbours.
Well-to-wheel basis. Equivalent to removing 18,352 passenger cars permanently.
Across ferries, tugs, buses, trains, trucks, port equipment, and seaplanes.
Marine diesel combustion eliminated at the Waterfront hub. Direct health benefit for Coal Harbour, Gastown, and the DTES.
Precursor to ground-level ozone. Reduces respiratory illness in urban harbour populations.
Jobs and workforce development
The project creates skilled employment at both the Burrard Thermal campus and the Waterfront dispensing hub, with a training pipeline through BC's post-secondary institutions.
Permanent operations
$70K-$150K+ salary range. Electrolyzer technicians, pyrolysis operators, dispensing specialists, marine bunkering operators, maintenance engineers, safety officers, plant management.
Construction phase
Electrical, mechanical, piping, civil, and instrumentation trades for electrolyzer installation, compression and storage, dispensing infrastructure, marine bunkering arm, and vessel retrofits.
Training pipeline
BCIT hydrogen safety certification. Marine and trades training adapted for H2 handling. UBC SHED hands-on electrolyzer and refuelling experience. 10-year Ballard/SFU partnership.
Energy security and trade diversification
Canada exports 90% of its oil to one customer. U.S. tariffs and trade uncertainty expose the vulnerability of single-market dependence. Hydrogen produced on the world's cleanest grid creates a new export commodity for allies actively seeking stable, democratic-origin clean fuel suppliers.
Asia-Pacific export
LH2 or ammonia via VFPA deep-water berths to Japan, South Korea, and Germany - all with published national hydrogen import strategies.
Democratic-origin fuel
BC Hydro's 98% clean grid. Verifiable carbon intensity under BC LCFS and Canada's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
Reduced U.S. dependence
New trade corridors to Pacific Rim partners reduce Canada's exposure to bilateral trade policy changes.
Federal alignment
$5B Trade Diversification Corridor Fund, Budget 2025 Super-Deduction, and Major Projects Office fast-track framework.
Natural gas sector transformation
Methane pyrolysis converts BC natural gas into hydrogen and solid carbon with zero CO2 emissions. This creates a high-value downstream market for Montney formation gas without new pipeline construction.
Existing FortisBC pipeline at Burrard Thermal. No new pipeline required.
12 offtaker applications. Replaces diesel at competitive lifecycle cost.
Premium carbon black. Tires, battery electrodes, industrial. Ekona $800-$1,500/t.
Preserves gas sector employment, uses existing infrastructure, and eliminates CO2 emissions. FortisBC's 15% hydrogen blending study (with DNV and Enbridge) provides an additional offtake pathway.
Municipal impact
The Burrard Thermal site has been decommissioned since 2016. Industrial reuse of the 193-acre campus restores economic activity to Port Moody and eliminates the maintenance cost of a dormant facility.
Tax revenue
Restored to the City of Port Moody. This revenue has been absent since decommissioning in 2016.
Site reuse
Industrially zoned Crown land, no residential adjacency, permitted for heavy energy use. Avoids the cost and delay of greenfield development.
District energy
Fed into Port Moody district energy systems. Additional community benefit beyond direct hydrogen production.
Read the full briefing
Technical, economic, and partnership details in a single document.
Executive Briefing