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Fourteen employees of the LNG Canada project in Kitimat, BC tested positive for COVID-19 and an epidemic was declared.
According to the Northern Health Authority, all 14 cases are associated with a single workplace and contact tracing continues.
Thirty-two employees isolate themselves on the spot, with greater isolation in the communities of origin.
Northern Health says it is working with both LNG Canada and the main contractor at the site, JGC Fluor.
He asks to close the fields
Several people and organizations have long called for the province to suspend operations at major industrial sites during the COVID-19 epidemic.
In March, Dr. David Bowering, the former health director of Northern Health, wrote an open letter to the province calling the yards “essentially landlocked cruise ships” that posed a risk to both workers and surrounding communities.
The province, however, resisted that call, instead working with LNG Canada, BC Hydro, and other organizations to implement COVID-19 testing and security protocols.
According to documents obtained through access to the CBC’s request for information, senior officials have struggled to define large industrial projects as essential.
“I cannot argue that Site C, Canadian LNG, etc. are essential,” then Deputy Minister of Energy, Mines and Oil Resources Dave Nikolesjin (who has since left his job to the government).
“But they are taking exceptional measures to reduce operations to only critical levels and they believe they can operate safely.”
For its part, LNG Canada sent about half of its workforce home to reduce contact, but did not proactively disclose whether the cases have occurred in the workplace.
In an email sent to CBC on Wednesday – a day before the outbreak was declared – LNG Canada said any questions about COVID-19 should be directed to Northern Health.
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