Coastal Gaslink Pipeline (CGL)

Energy Forward: Connecting Clean Canadian Gas to the World

About the Project

The Coastal GasLink Project is a significant infrastructure development located in British Columbia, Canada. It encompasses a 670-kilometer (416-mile) pipeline designed to transport natural gas from the Dawson Creek area in northeastern British Columbia to the LNG Canada facility at Kitimat on the west coast. This pipeline project is pivotal in facilitating the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Asian markets, where demand for cleaner energy sources is rising.

Technology & Innovation

The Coastal GasLink Project utilizes advanced technologies to ensure efficient, safe, and environmentally responsible operations. The pipeline itself is constructed using high-grade steel and state-of-the-art welding techniques to ensure durability and integrity. Advanced coating technologies are applied to prevent corrosion over time. In terms of environmental management, the project employs precise GPS and GIS technologies for meticulous route planning to avoid sensitive ecological areas and reduce environmental disruption.

Moreover, the project incorporates extensive monitoring and maintenance technology to ensure the pipeline operates safely. This includes the use of fiber-optic sensors along the pipeline to detect leaks and monitor structural health in real time. Hydraulic modeling software is used to simulate various operating conditions and optimize the flow of gas, thereby enhancing efficiency and safety.

The Coastal GasLink Project also emphasizes the use of modular construction techniques. Components of the pipeline and associated facilities are constructed off-site and then assembled in place, reducing the environmental footprint of the construction process and speeding up the overall project timeline.

Project Purpose

The primary purpose of the Coastal GasLink Project is to supply the LNG Canada export terminal in Kitimat with natural gas. This terminal processes the gas into liquefied natural gas for shipment overseas. The project plays a critical role in Canada’s economic strategy to enter the global LNG market, which is part of a broader shift towards exporting cleaner energy sources as countries worldwide seek to reduce their reliance on coal and oil. By exporting LNG, Canada aims to provide countries in Asia with a more environmentally friendly alternative to coal, which helps reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

Our ROLE

Black Fly Environmental was contracted to provide environmental assessment services for work package two (spreads 3 and 4) on the CGL pipeline project from 2019 to 2023. Our team of fisheries and wildlife biologists provided detailed assessment services for fisheries and wildlife resources during pre- and post construction project activities. Over the course of four years working on this project our team provided over 5000 hours of environmental support.

Black Fly approached this large, interdisciplinary project by ensuring that field crews were led by a regulated Qualified Environmental Professional. All employees at Black Fly, working as a crew lead on this project, held an active designation with either the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists (ASPB), the British Columbia College of Applied Biology (CAB-BC), Alberta Institute of Agrologists (AIA), or other professional institutes.

Fisheries & Aquatic Services


  • Fish salvage and relocation during stream isolation project activities.

  • Continues Water Quality Monitoring for instream activities

Wildlife Assessment Services


  • Bear Den Surveys

  • Migratory Bird surveys and pre- construction nest sweeps

  • Amphibian assessment and salvages

  • Mountain Caribou monitoring