Michelle Martins remembers when young people couldn't wait to leave Kitimat, BC. Now a town councillor, she worries unchecked industrial development could erode the qualities that finally made them stay.

“No one wants to go back to a time where Kitimat was becoming a ghost town,” Martins told Canada’s National Observer in an interview Wednesday. 

Now, Kitimat is rapidly developing into a major coastal shipping hub for liquified natural gas (LNG) as Canada strives to increase exports to Asian markets. Along with this development, questions are being raised about the health and environmental impacts of LNG.

LNG Canada, a Shell-led joint venture, is already operating on the edge of town and a possible second phase is among the major projects waiting for federal government approval. The expansion could double the terminal’s capacity, while bringing the promise of more jobs and revenue to a town shaped by industry. 

But questions about air quality and health continue to move through the community. Some residents have raised concerns about coughing, breathing irritation and increased use of medication during flaring events. 

A recent Tyee investigation found gaps in Kitimat’s air monitoring, including no monitors designed to clearly identify LNG-linked volatile organic compounds such as benzene — a chemical known to cause cancer. Also, in May, specialized infrared camera footage showed otherwise invisible plumes around flares, stacks and processing equipment at LNG Canada’s Kitimat facility, raising questions about whether current monitoring captures what is reaching nearby communities.

However, some local leaders are quick to dismiss residents’ misgivings. Kitimat Mayor Phil Germuth described people’s objections as “fearmongering” in a July 15 interview with Canada’s National Observer. The word was also used repeatedly by the mayor and some council members at a recent council meeting.

Martins said some council members are treating people who raise concerns about health or environmental impacts “like they are radical, like they are some sort of extremist.”

Germuth said residents should be reassured by existing data, adding Kitimat does not need a cumulative health impact assessment even though residents and health advocates have requested one. Other BC councils, including Dawson Creek, Terrace, Squamish and New Westminster have backed calls for the study.

“Once you actually learn everything and educate yourself on it, you know, our air here is very, very clean,” he said.

Germuth pointed to Kitimat’s six air monitors, which he said is an unusually high number for a community of fewer than 10,000 people. The town’s air quality health index is “basically at a one,” the lowest-risk level, he added — and the town’s continuous air monitoring is equivalent to conducting the study.

The mayor also cited a 2014 provincial airshed study, which showed Kitimat had the capacity to host additional industrial activity beyond its current two major LNG projects and aluminum smelter, as well as a potential refinery. He questioned why the proposed health assessment would focus only on the LNG projects when the city is also home to other industrial operations, including the smelter.

Martins, who chairs the Kitimat airshed group as council’s representative, said she does not dispute the monitoring results. But she said Kitimat’s industrial mix is changing and monitoring should change with it.

Different operations emit different pollutants, she said. Rio Tinto’s smelter is primarily powered by hydroelectricity, while LNG Canada uses gas turbines. To Martins, that is why an LNG-focused assessment is not unfair to other industries, but necessary to understand what health risks may be tied to each source.

“I’m not entirely sure why LNG Canada, in particular, can do no wrong,” she said.

The divide at council reflects a wider split in the community, councillors say.

“Anyone who’s concerned about the environment or the health of people is called anti-industry in our community,” said Coun. Gerry Leibel, who also supported the call for a health assessment.

Her own household has benefited from industrial work, Martins said. Her husband’s income allows her to serve on council and pursue a master’s degree, but she worries that stability could come with health costs that only become clear years later. 

“Are we enjoying all of this now?” she said. “Could he potentially die a premature death in his 50s or 60s because of the work environment that he’s in or has been exposed to previously?”

Martins said companies are driven by financial incentives and governments have a responsibility to make sure industrial projects operate safely. But she worries LNG Canada has been too insulated from criticism at the council table. 

“We should be entering a time where we don’t just take what we can get,” she said.