Kitimat

{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}

{{More citations needed|date=June 2010}}

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Kitimat

| official_name = District of Kitimat{{cite web|url=http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/infra/library/Name%20Incorp%202011.xls|title=British Columbia Regional Districts, Municipalities, Corporate Name, Date of Incorporation and Postal Address|publisher=British Columbia Ministry of Communities, Sport and Cultural Development|type=XLS|access-date=2 November 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140713004716/http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/infra/library/Name%20Incorp%202011.xls|archive-date=13 July 2014}}

| settlement_type = District municipality

| image_skyline = Kitimat aerial of townsite and Douglas Channel.jpg

| image_caption = Aerial photo of Kitimat residential area with Douglas Channel in the background.

| image_flag = Flag of Kitimat, British Columbia.svg

| flag_size =

| pushpin_map = Canada British Columbia#Canada

| pushpin_label_position =

| pushpin_map_caption = Location in British Columbia

| pushpin_mapsize =

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_type1 = Province

| subdivision_type2 = Regional district

| subdivision_name = Canada

| subdivision_name1 = British Columbia

| subdivision_name2 = Kitimat–Stikine

| established_title =

| established_date =

| established_title2 =

| established_date2 =

| government_type =

| leader_title = Mayor

| leader_name = Phil Germuth[https://www.kitimat.ca/en/municipal-hall/mayor-and-council.aspx#Mayor-Phil-Germuth Mayor and Council]

| area_magnitude =

| area_total_sq_mi =

| area_total_km2 = 242.63

| area_land_sq_mi =

| area_land_km2 =

| area_water_sq_mi =

| area_water_km2 =

| area_urban_sq_mi =

| area_urban_km2 =

| area_metro_km2 =

| area_metro_sq_mi =

| population_as_of = 2016

| population_footnotes =

| population_total = 8,131

| population_urban =

| population_metro =

| population_density_sq_mi =

| population_density_km2 = 34.7

| timezone = PST

| utc_offset = -08:00

| timezone_DST = PDT

| utc_offset_DST = -07:00

| coordinates = {{coord|54|03|12|N|128|39|08|W|region:CA-B|notes={{Cite cgndb|JCMDB|Kitimat}} C|display=inline,title}}

| elevation_footnotes =

| elevation_m = 40

| website = [http://www.kitimat.ca/ www.kitimat.ca]

| postal_code_type = Forward sortation area

| postal_code = V8C

| area_code = 250 / 778 / 236

| blank_name = Highways

| blank_info = {{jct|state=BC|Hwy|37}}

| footnotes =

}}

Kitimat is a district municipality in the North Coast region of British Columbia, Canada. It is a member municipality of the Regional District of Kitimat–Stikine regional government. The Kitimat Valley is part of the most populous urban district in northwest British Columbia, which includes Terrace to the north along the Skeena River Valley. The city was planned and built by the Aluminum Company of Canada (Alcan) during the 1950s. Its post office was approved on 6 June 1952.{{Cite book|last=Hamilton|first=William|title=The Macmillan Book of Canadian Place Names|publisher=Macmillan|year=1978|isbn=0-7715-9754-1|location=Toronto|pages=44}}

Kitimat's municipal area is {{convert|242.63|km2|abbr=on}}. It is located on tidewater in one of the few wide, flat valleys on the coast of British Columbia. The 2016 census recorded 8,131 citizens.{{Cite web|url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=5949005&Geo2=CD&Code2=5949&SearchText=Kitimat&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1&type=0|title = Census Profile, 2016 Census – Kitimat, District municipality [Census subdivision], British Columbia and Kitimat-Stikine, Regional district [Census division], British Columbia|date = 8 February 2017}}

The District of Kitimat Development Services situates the port of Kitimat as an integral part of the Northwest Corridor connecting North America to the Pacific Ocean and the Pacific Rim.{{citation|url=http://www.kitimat.ca/assets/Business/PDFs/private-international-port-of-kitimat.pdf|title=The Private International Port of Kitimat|series=Kitimat: a Port City on the Move|year=2005|access-date=5 May 2014|publisher=District of Kitimat Development Services|location=Kitimat, British Columbia|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516075844/http://www.kitimat.ca/assets/Business/PDFs/private-international-port-of-kitimat.pdf|archive-date=16 May 2013}}

History

"Kitimat" in the Tsimshian language refers to the Haisla First Nation as the "People of the Snow". Before 1950 the Kitimat township was a small fishing village at the head of the Kitimat Arm of the Douglas Channel, a deepwater fjord.{{cite journal |last1= Boyer |first1= David S. |date= September 1956 |title= Kitimat–Canada's Aluminum Titan |journal= National Geographic |volume= CX |issue= 3 |pages= 376–398 |publisher= National Geographic Society }}

The municipal town of Kitimat came into existence in 1951 after the Provincial Government of British Columbia invited Alcan to develop hydroelectric facilities to support one of the most power-intensive of all industries—the aluminum smelting industry.'Top Planners Here to Map Alcan City', Vancouver Sun 19 September 1951 p. 21 The company built a dam, {{Convert|16|km|0|abbr=on}} tunnel, powerhouse, {{Convert|82|km|abbr=on}} transmission line, a deep-sea terminal and smelter. The company also designed, laid out and assisted with the initial construction of the city. At the time, the combined development was considered "the most expensive project ever attempted by private industry."

Alcan employed the services of city planner Clarence Stein in order to ensure the community design facilitated an environment that would attract and retain workers, although Alcan intended it to not be a company town.{{cite web |url= http://www.livinglandscapes.bc.ca/northwest/kitimat/the_town_kitimat.html |title= The Town of Kitimat |work= Royal BC Museum |access-date= 16 February 2012 }} Today, Kitimat benefits from the quality of planning resulting from the Garden City design concept. Stein's design kept industry well separated from the community with large areas for expansion. He also created looped streets surrounding an urban city centre mall and linked by over {{Convert|45|km|abbr=on}} of walkways connecting to all areas of the community.

The substantial greenspace areas and future expansion concepts designed by Stein have been upheld to this day by the city planners, thereby resulting in a low-density settlement pattern interspersed with forested patches. Also, the Alcan-based city origin and land provenance remain documented in the form of restrictive covenants registered on title.{{cite web|title=Sample Kitimat residential land-title document, including expectation of tolerance of emissions from Alcan smelter in Kitimat, Province of British Columbia, Canada|url=http://skeenawild.org/images/uploads/docs/Title__Restrictive_Covenant_Example.pdf}}

Economy

Aluminum producer Rio Tinto is the main employer in the municipality. Local government, schools, small manufacturing and service/retail are secondary contributors. Secondary core activities include engineering, import of petrochemical products (methanol and condensate), and metal fabrication. Approximately $5 billion in manufacturing investment is anticipated in the 2010–2015 period with a further $5 billion-plus in the investigative stage over the next decade.{{Citation needed|date=October 2012}} Anticipated investment includes an approximately $2 billion modernization to the Rio Tinto Alcan facilities and $3 billion in the Kitimat liquefied natural gas export development on Haisla Industrial Land at Bish Creek. The export facility would see natural gas piped in from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (particularly from shale gas developments such as the Montney and Horn River) and shipped to Asian markets.{{Cite web|url=http://www.kitimatlngfacility.com/|title=Kitimat LNG's terminal|author=Kitimat LNG|access-date=2009-12-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713153733/http://www.kitimatlngfacility.com/|archive-date=13 July 2011|url-status=dead}} The LNG Canada project, a joint venture between Shell and affiliates of Petronas, Mitsubishi Corporation, Korea Gas Corporation and PetroChina would, if permitted, begin construction in 2015 of a gas pipeline from northeastern BC and a LNG export terminal with an expected lifespan of 30 years. The terminal, located on the Douglas Channel near the aluminum refinery, would be able to accommodate two LNG vessels at a time. Annual volume would be 24 million tonnes.{{cite news|title=Shell submits Kitimat plans for $4 billion gas pipeline and terminal to government environmental agencies|url=https://theprovince.com/Shell+submits+Kitimat+plans+billion+pipeline+terminal+government+environmental+agencies/8190636/story.html|access-date=12 June 2013|newspaper=The Province|location=Vancouver|date=3 April 2013|agency=The Canadian Press|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130519000759/http://www.theprovince.com/Shell+submits+Kitimat+plans+billion+pipeline+terminal+government+environmental+agencies/8190636/story.html|archive-date=19 May 2013|url-status=dead}} In July 2014 the Financial Post reported that Apache Corp. will "completely exit" the Kitimat LNG mega-project planned for B.C.'s West Coast. The U.S. hedge fund Jana Partners LLC has pressured Houston-based Apache to sell its 50% stake in the BC shale gas plays.{{citation|title=Kitimat LNG mega-project in doubt after major American partner pulls out |first=Jeff |last=Lewis | date= 31 July 2014 |work=Financial Post}}

Pending energy projects that have identified Kitimat as a strategic gateway include Pacific Northern Gas' Pacific Trail Pipeline (federal and provincial environmental assessments issued) and the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines (currently being reviewed by the National Energy Board).

Additional investigations into clean energy developments include a Kitimat port development project featuring break-bulk port facilities and consideration of the best uses for the former Eurocan Wharf.{{Citation needed|date=October 2012}} In addition, the decommissioning of the former Eurocan pulp and paper facilities or a slimmed down operation are still under consideration. There is also renewed interest in mineral development potential in the Kitimat area. The neighbouring community of Terrace is also in advanced stages of approval for a number of clean energy projects along with the associated infrastructure for linking those projects to the provincial electrical grid.

Air services for the community are provided through Northwest Regional Airport, with connections to Prince George, Smithers, and Vancouver.

=Kemano hydroelectric project=

{{external media

| topic = Kemano-Kitimat transmission line

| float =right

| image1 =[http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v239/Rotorhead/Catenary_Pickup.jpg Catenary]

| video1 =[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZSep9lkfwQ Helicopter landing on catenary]

}}

In the 1920s, the provincial government of British Columbia extensively evaluated the province's hydroelectric generating potential. In the late 1940s, the Canadian Government sought to tap the untapped resources of northwest British Columbia. All this led to the identification of the Eutsuk/Ootsa/Nechako River drainage basin as a potential site for a sizable reservoir. The potential of this vast system of rivers and lakes prompted British Columbia to invite Alcan to conduct a detailed investigation of the area. Alcan was searching for a site for a large aluminum smelter, an activity requiring vast amounts of electricity. Alcan concluded that the area was more than adequate to generate the required electricity, and decided to build a smelter there. The timing was right because the post-World War II boom saw a rising demand for aluminum.

Between 1951 and 1954, after signing the agreement with the British Columbia government for land and water rights, Alcan undertook the Kitimat–Kemano Project, one of the most ambitious Canadian engineering projects of the 20th century. The project required not only building the Kenney Dam to reverse the Nechako River, but also boring a {{convert|16|km|0|abbr=on}} tunnel under Mt. Dubose, within the Coast Range, to the large hydroelectric Kemano Generating Station built under Mt. Dubose. Electricity from Kemano is transported {{convert|80|km|0|abbr=on}} across mountains via a custom built twin circuit transmission line. After avalanches tore away transmission towers, a catenary system was built.{{Cite web|url= http://www.livinglandscapes.bc.ca/northwest/kitimat/challenges.html |title= Challenges for Industry and Town |work= Royal BC Museum |access-date= 16 February 2012 }}

In three years, 6,000 construction workers built the dam, tunnel, powerhouse, transmission line, smelter, and town.{{Cite web|last=Kendrick |first=John |url=http://www.livinglandscapes.bc.ca/northwest/kitimat/happen.html |title=Making It Happen |work=Royal BC Museum |access-date=16 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110704091349/http://www.livinglandscapes.bc.ca/northwest/kitimat/happen.html |archive-date=4 July 2011 }}

The town of Kitimat was carved out of old-growth forest. The company invested over CA$500 million (equivalent to CA$3.3 billion) and employed over 35,000 workers over the five years required to build the Kenney Dam, the hydropower plant under Mt. Dubose at Kemano, a 250,000 tpy aluminum smelter, a year-round deepwater port, a townsite designed for a population of 50,000, and a paved highway to the outside world. As a result of this project other companies saw the potential of the area, resulting in further industrial development in the Kitimat valley.

=LNG Canada terminal project=

On 1 October 2018, Royal Dutch Shell and its Asia partners gave formal approval to an estimated $40 billion investment into the construction of a new liquified natural gas port terminal project named LNG Canada, coupled with the construction by a subsidiary of TransCanada of a gas pipeline, known as the Coastal GasLink Pipeline, linking this terminal to the Montney, British Columbia, natural gas field.{{Cite news|last=Yunker|first=Zoë|date=June 10, 2020|title=Alberta and South Korea's pensions just bought the Coastal GasLink pipeline: 8 things you need to know|work=The Narwhal|url=https://thenarwhal.ca/alberta-and-south-koreas-pensions-just-bought-the-coastal-gaslink-pipeline-8-things-you-need-to-know/|access-date=August 2, 2020}}{{Cite news |date=2022-07-28 |title=TC Energy's Coastal GasLink cost estimate jumps nearly 70 per cent |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/article-tc-energy-raises-spending-outlook-posts-lower-second-quarter-profit/ |access-date=2023-11-15}}

When completed, LNG Canada will become the first Canadian LNG export ocean terminal, which will compete with other LNG terminals in the US, either existing or planned on the West (Alaska, Washington, Oregon), Gulf (Louisiana, Texas) and Atlantic coasts (Maryland, Virginia).

In October 2023, pipeline installation on the project was 100% complete.{{Cite web |last=Stephenson |first=Amanda |date=October 31, 2023 |title=Coastal GasLink pipeline fully installed, says TC Energy |work=Financial Post |url=https://financialpost.com/commodities/energy/oil-gas/coastal-gaslink-pipeline-installed-tc-energy }}

This new terminal being built in the port of Kitimat will be connected to the Pacific Ocean via the existing Douglas Channel. This development will add new sensitive ship traffic when the LNG Canada natural gas storage and liquefaction terminal will be completed and operational, which is estimated to be in 2025. The LNG Canada terminal project will see large LNG carrier ships loading liquefied natural gas at the future Kitimat LNG terminal, and sailing along the Douglas Channel to carry it to export destinations, mainly in Asia.

=Pacific Future pipeline and refinery=

The Pacific Future Energy Refinery was projected to refine more than 30,000 m3 per day of nearly solid bitumen of the Western Canadian Select variety for at least 60 years.{{cite news |url=https://iaac-aeic.gc.ca/050/evaluations/proj/80127 |access-date=14 February 2025}} Grupo Salinas were the owners, and "European technology" was touted as the solution to environmental ills.{{cite news |url=https://financialpost.com/commodities/energy/pacific-future-bc-refinery}} The construction of the plant was budgeted at $11 billion and included carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. Capacity would be increased in 200,000 bpd stages that would cost $6 billion. Simeco, a Milan engineering and construction firm would provide the design. Modules would be built in Asia and transported to Prince Rupert for assembly. The project headquarters was in Vancouver. When the project was announced in June 2014 the funds has yet to be assembled, and a preliminary venture round for design work was budgeted at $250 million. Stockwell Day was hired by the proponents, as well as Shawn Atleo and Ovide Mercredi. The Northern Gateway pipeline, originally proposed by Enbridge, would have supplied the resource.

Opponents of the project included SkeenaWild Conservation Trust, and Haida people First Nations, as well as the Kitselas, Metlakatla and Gitga'at tribes of Tsimshian people.

The CEO of Pacific Future, Samer Salameh, notified the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) in December 2024 of the project's failure,{{cite news |url=https://www.westernstandard.news/alberta/guilbeault-pulls-pin-on-11-billion-kitimat-refinery-project-backed-by-stockwell-day/62200 |title=Guilbeault pulls pin on $11-billion Kitimat refinery project backed by Stockwell Day |date=13 February 2025 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-bc-company-cancels-plans-to-build-oil-refinery-for-fuel-exports-to/ |title=B.C. Company cancels plans to build oil refinery for fuel exports to Asia |work=The Globe and Mail |date=12 February 2025 }} and on 11 February 2025 Minister Steven Guilbeault wrote that the sponsors confirmed that they had discontinued the project, and that "This letter provides [Pacific Future] with notification that I have terminated the environmental assessment for the project."

Geography

Kitimat is located {{Convert|63|km|abbr=on}} south of Terrace and Thornhill on Highway 37. Prince Rupert is {{Convert|207|km|abbr=on}} northwest, and Prince George is {{Convert|629|km|abbr=on}} to the east.

Climate

Kitimat has a warm-summer humid continental (Köppen climate classification Dfb) with mild summers and cold, snowy winters (much warmer than inland) with significant snowfall averaging 128 inches (325 cm) each year. The rainiest season is fall, with the wettest month, October, having 320 mm of rainfall. There is also a significant drying trend (Mediterranean pattern) in summer, but it is too cold and rainy to classify as such. Cloud cover is significant, especially in winter, and less than 30% of possible sunshine occurs each year.

{{Weather box

|width=100%

|location = Kitimat

|metric first = Y

|single line = Y

|Jan record high C = 12.2

|Feb record high C = 13.0

|Mar record high C = 18.0

|Apr record high C = 27.5

|May record high C = 32.8

|Jun record high C = 37.0

|Jul record high C = 41.1

|Aug record high C = 36.0

|Sep record high C = 33.3

|Oct record high C = 25.0

|Nov record high C = 13.3

|Dec record high C = 10.0

|year record high C = 41.1

|Jan high C = 0.5

|Feb high C = 3.1

|Mar high C = 6.7

|Apr high C = 11.7

|May high C = 16.2

|Jun high C = 19.5

|Jul high C = 21.6

|Aug high C = 21.4

|Sep high C = 16.8

|Oct high C = 10.1

|Nov high C = 3.9

|Dec high C = 1.2

|year high C = 11.1

|Jan mean C = -1.7

|Feb mean C = 0.3

|Mar mean C = 3.2

|Apr mean C = 7.1

|May mean C = 11.0

|Jun mean C = 14.5

|Jul mean C = 16.7

|Aug mean C = 16.5

|Sep mean C = 12.6

|Oct mean C = 7.2

|Nov mean C = 1.8

|Dec mean C = -0.8

|year mean C = 7.4

|Jan low C = -4.0

|Feb low C = -2.5

|Mar low C = -0.3

|Apr low C = 2.4

|May low C = 5.7

|Jun low C = 9.5

|Jul low C = 11.7

|Aug low C = 11.5

|Sep low C = 8.3

|Oct low C = 4.3

|Nov low C = -0.3

|Dec low C = -2.8

|year low C = 3.6

|Jan record low C = -25.0

|Feb record low C = -23.9

|Mar record low C = -19.4

|Apr record low C = -10.0

|May record low C = -6.7

|Jun record low C = -0.6

|Jul record low C = 3.9

|Aug record low C = 2.0

|Sep record low C = -2.0

|Oct record low C = -13.0

|Nov record low C = -24.0

|Dec record low C = -25.0

|year record low C = -25.0

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 288.4

|Feb precipitation mm = 186.8

|Mar precipitation mm = 160.7

|Apr precipitation mm = 128.3

|May precipitation mm = 89.5

|Jun precipitation mm = 73.1

|Jul precipitation mm = 62.4

|Aug precipitation mm = 95.7

|Sep precipitation mm = 190.2

|Oct precipitation mm = 323.5

|Nov precipitation mm = 320.3

|Dec precipitation mm = 291.8

|year precipitation mm = 2210.7

|rain colour = green

|Jan rain mm = 195.7

|Feb rain mm = 133.6

|Mar rain mm = 134.5

|Apr rain mm = 123.0

|May rain mm = 88.7

|Jun rain mm = 73.1

|Jul rain mm = 62.4

|Aug rain mm = 95.7

|Sep rain mm = 190.2

|Oct rain mm = 319.9

|Nov rain mm = 266.6

|Dec rain mm = 202.7

|year rain mm = 1886.1

|snow colour = green

|Jan snow cm = 92.7

|Feb snow cm = 53.2

|Mar snow cm = 26.3

|Apr snow cm = 5.4

|May snow cm = 0.8

|Jun snow cm = 0.0

|Jul snow cm = 0.0

|Aug snow cm = 0.0

|Sep snow cm = 0.0

|Oct snow cm = 3.6

|Nov snow cm = 53.7

|Dec snow cm = 89.1

|year snow cm = 324.6

|unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 19.7

|Feb precipitation days = 15.5

|Mar precipitation days = 18.5

|Apr precipitation days = 17.2

|May precipitation days = 15.8

|Jun precipitation days = 14.8

|Jul precipitation days = 13.2

|Aug precipitation days = 13.7

|Sep precipitation days = 16.9

|Oct precipitation days = 22.1

|Nov precipitation days = 21.7

|Dec precipitation days = 21.5

|year precipitation days = 210.5

|unit rain days = 0.2 mm

|Jan rain days = 14.5

|Feb rain days = 12.0

|Mar rain days = 16.7

|Apr rain days = 17.0

|May rain days = 15.8

|Jun rain days = 14.8

|Jul rain days = 13.2

|Aug rain days = 13.7

|Sep rain days = 16.9

|Oct rain days = 21.9

|Nov rain days = 18.8

|Dec rain days = 14.8

|year rain days= 190.1

|unit snow days = 0.2 cm

|Jan snow days = 9.2

|Feb snow days = 6.3

|Mar snow days = 5.0

|Apr snow days = 1.2

|May snow days = 0.2

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.0

|Oct snow days = 1.0

|Nov snow days = 7.0

|Dec snow days = 11.4

|year snow days = 41.2

|Jan sun = 48.5

|Feb sun = 75.9

|Mar sun = 103.8

|Apr sun = 153.9

|May sun = 199.6

|Jun sun = 189.5

|Jul sun = 214.3

|Aug sun = 196.5

|Sep sun = 129.7

|Oct sun = 69.2

|Nov sun = 38.1

|Dec sun = 30.9

|year sun = 1449.9

|Jan percentsun = 19.5

|Feb percentsun = 27.7

|Mar percentsun = 28.3

|Apr percentsun = 36.6

|May percentsun = 40.3

|Jun percentsun = 37.1

|Jul percentsun = 41.7

|Aug percentsun = 42.7

|Sep percentsun = 33.9

|Oct percentsun = 21.1

|Nov percentsun = 14.8

|Dec percentsun = 13.3

|year percentsun = 29.7

|source 1 = {{cite web |url=http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climate_normals/station_metadata_e.html?StnId=402 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140218014527/http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climate_normals/station_metadata_e.html?StnId=402 |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 February 2014 |title=Calculation Information for 1981 to 2010 Canadian Normals Data |publisher=Environment Canada |access-date=9 July 2013 }}|date=9 March 2013

}}

Demographics

{{Historical populations

|align=right

|1991|11305

|1996|11136

|2001|10285

|2006|8987

|2011|8335

|footnote={{Cite web|title= 2011 Census: Population and dwelling counts |url= http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/hlt-fst/pd-pl/Table-Tableau.cfm?LANG=Eng&T=302&SR=301&S=51&O=A&RPP=25&PR=59&CMA=0 |work= Statistics Canada |access-date= 8 October 2012 }}{{Cite web |title= 2001 Community Profiles: Community Highlights for Kitimat |url= http://www12.statcan.ca/english/profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=5949005&Geo2=PR&Code2=59&Data=Count&SearchText=Kitimat&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |work= Statistics Canada |access-date= 8 October 2012 |archive-date= 12 January 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160112115512/http://www12.statcan.ca/english/profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=5949005&Geo2=PR&Code2=59&Data=Count&SearchText=Kitimat&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |url-status= dead }}{{Cite web |title= 1996 Census of Population: Electronic Area Profiles: Kitimat, DM |url= http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census96/data/profiles/Rp-eng.cfm?TABID=1&LANG=E&A=R&APATH=3&DETAIL=0&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=0&GC=5949005&GID=205178&GK=3&GRP=1&O=D&PID=35782&PRID=0&PTYPE=3&S=0&SHOWALL=0&SUB=0&Temporal=1996&THEME=34&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF=&D1=0&D2=0&D3=0&D4=0&D5=0&D6=0 |work= Statistics Canada |access-date= 8 October 2012 |archive-date= 12 January 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160112115512/http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census96/data/profiles/Rp-eng.cfm?TABID=1&LANG=E&A=R&APATH=3&DETAIL=0&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=0&GC=5949005&GID=205178&GK=3&GRP=1&O=D&PID=35782&PRID=0&PTYPE=3&S=0&SHOWALL=0&SUB=0&Temporal=1996&THEME=34&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF=&D1=0&D2=0&D3=0&D4=0&D5=0&D6=0 |url-status= dead }}}}

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Kitimat had a population of 8,236 living in 3,604 of its 4,381 total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:8236-8131}}|8131|1}} from its 2016 population of 8,131. With a land area of {{cvt|239.28|km2}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|8236|239.28|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.{{cite web | url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000202&geocode=A000259 | title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), British Columbia | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=9 February 2022 | accessdate=20 February 2022}}

= Ethnicity =

class="wikitable collapsible sortable"

|+ Panethnic groups in the District of Kitimat (1986−2021)

! rowspan="2" |Panethnic
group

! colspan="2" |2021

! colspan="2" |2016{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2021-10-27 |title= Census Profile, 2016 Census |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=5949005&Geo2=CD&Code2=5949&SearchText=Kitimat&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1&type=0 |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}

! colspan="2" |2011{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2015-11-27 |title= NHS Profile |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=5949005&Data=Count&SearchText=Kitimat&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&A1=All&B1=All&Custom=&TABID=1 |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}

! colspan="2" |2006{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-08-20 |title= 2006 Community Profiles |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=5949005&Geo2=PR&Code2=59&Data=Count&SearchText=Kitimat&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}

! colspan="2" |2001{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-07-02 |title= 2001 Community Profiles |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/english/Profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=5949005&Geo2=PR&Code2=59&Data=Count&SearchText=Kitimat&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}

! colspan="2" |1996{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-06-04 |title= Electronic Area Profiles Profile of Census Divisions and Subdivisions, 1996 Census |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/english/census96/data/profiles/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=0&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=0&GC=0&GID=0&GK=0&GRP=1&PID=35782&PRID=0&PTYPE=3&S=0&SHOWALL=0&SUB=0&Temporal=1996&THEME=34&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF= |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}

! colspan="2" |1991{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-03-29 |title= 1991 Census Area Profiles Profile of Census Divisions and Subdivisions - Part B |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/English/census91/data/profiles/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=1&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=1&GC=0&GID=0&GK=0&GRP=1&PID=30&PRID=0&PTYPE=3&S=0&SHOWALL=No&SUB=0&Temporal=1991&THEME=113&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF= |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-03-29 |title= Data tables, 1991 Census Population by Ethnic Origin (24), Showing Single and Multiple Origins (2) - Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/English/census91/data/tables/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=1&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=1&GC=0&GID=0&GK=0&GRP=1&PID=61&PRID=0&PTYPE=4&S=0&SHOWALL=No&SUB=0&Temporal=1991&THEME=104&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF= |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}

! colspan="2" |1986{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-06-27

|title= Data tables, 1986 Census Census Profile for Canada, Provinces and Territories, Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions, 1986 Census - Part A |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/English/census86/data/tables/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=1&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=1&GC=0&GID=0&GK=0&GRP=1&PID=113684&PRID=0&PTYPE=113679&S=0&SHOWALL=No&SUB=0&Temporal=1986&THEME=133&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF= |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-06-27

|title= Data tables, 1986 Census Census Profile for Canada, Provinces and Territories, Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions, 1986 Census - Part B |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/English/census86/data/tables/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=1&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=1&GC=0&GID=0&GK=0&GRP=1&PID=113685&PRID=0&PTYPE=113679&S=0&SHOWALL=No&SUB=0&Temporal=1986&THEME=133&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF= |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2013-04-03

|title= Canada's aboriginal population by census subdivisions from the 1986 Census of Canada |url=https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.697442/publication.html |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}{{rp|100}}

Population

!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}

!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}

!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}

!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}

!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}

!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}

!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}

!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}

!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}

!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}

!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}

!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}

!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}

!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}

!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}

European{{efn|Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.|name=euro}}

| 6,285

| {{Percentage | 6285 | 8210 | 2 }}

| 6,555

| {{Percentage | 6555 | 8055 | 2 }}

| 6,950

| {{Percentage | 6950 | 8335 | 2 }}

| 7,595

| {{Percentage | 7595 | 8950 | 2 }}

| 8,895

| {{Percentage | 8895 | 10240 | 2 }}

| 9,780

| {{Percentage | 9780 | 11110 | 2 }}

| 9,645

| {{Percentage | 9645 | 11280 | 2 }}

| 9,690

| {{Percentage | 9690 | 11130 | 2 }}

Indigenous

| 1,240

| {{Percentage | 1240 | 8210 | 2 }}

| 940

| {{Percentage | 940 | 8055 | 2 }}

| 920

| {{Percentage | 920 | 8335 | 2 }}

| 755

| {{Percentage | 755 | 8950 | 2 }}

| 540

| {{Percentage | 540 | 10240 | 2 }}

| 545

| {{Percentage | 545 | 11110 | 2 }}

| 715

| {{Percentage | 715 | 11280 | 2 }}

| 530

| {{Percentage | 530 | 11130 | 2 }}

Southeast Asian{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "Filipino" and "Southeast Asian" under visible minority section on census.|name=SoutheastAsian}}

| 200

| {{Percentage | 200 | 8210 | 2 }}

| 105

| {{Percentage | 105 | 8055 | 2 }}

| 155

| {{Percentage | 155 | 8335 | 2 }}

| 115

| {{Percentage | 115 | 8950 | 2 }}

| 90

| {{Percentage | 90 | 10240 | 2 }}

| 65

| {{Percentage | 65 | 11110 | 2 }}

| 35

| {{Percentage | 35 | 11280 | 2 }}

| 30

| {{Percentage | 30 | 11130 | 2 }}

South Asian

| 145

| {{Percentage | 145 | 8210 | 2 }}

| 155

| {{Percentage | 155 | 8055 | 2 }}

| 135

| {{Percentage | 135 | 8335 | 2 }}

| 255

| {{Percentage | 255 | 8950 | 2 }}

| 465

| {{Percentage | 465 | 10240 | 2 }}

| 430

| {{Percentage | 430 | 11110 | 2 }}

| 660

| {{Percentage | 660 | 11280 | 2 }}

| 670

| {{Percentage | 670 | 11130 | 2 }}

African

| 130

| {{Percentage | 130 | 8210 | 2 }}

| 80

| {{Percentage | 80 | 8055 | 2 }}

| 0

| {{Percentage | 0 | 8335 | 2 }}

| 30

| {{Percentage | 30 | 8950 | 2 }}

| 80

| {{Percentage | 80 | 10240 | 2 }}

| 40

| {{Percentage | 40 | 11110 | 2 }}

| 25

| {{Percentage | 25 | 11280 | 2 }}

| 45

| {{Percentage | 45 | 11130 | 2 }}

East Asian{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "Chinese", "Korean", and "Japanese" under visible minority section on census.|name=EastAsian}}

| 95

| {{Percentage | 95 | 8210 | 2 }}

| 95

| {{Percentage | 95 | 8055 | 2 }}

| 120

| {{Percentage | 120 | 8335 | 2 }}

| 140

| {{Percentage | 140 | 8950 | 2 }}

| 105

| {{Percentage | 105 | 10240 | 2 }}

| 180

| {{Percentage | 180 | 11110 | 2 }}

| 165

| {{Percentage | 165 | 11280 | 2 }}

| 135

| {{Percentage | 135 | 11130 | 2 }}

Latin American

| 60

| {{Percentage | 60 | 8210 | 2 }}

| 70

| {{Percentage | 70 | 8055 | 2 }}

| 10

| {{Percentage | 10 | 8335 | 2 }}

| 45

| {{Percentage | 45 | 8950 | 2 }}

| 65

| {{Percentage | 65 | 10240 | 2 }}

| 10

| {{Percentage | 10 | 11110 | 2 }}

| 10

| {{Percentage | 10 | 11280 | 2 }}

| 20

| {{Percentage | 20 | 11130 | 2 }}

Middle Eastern{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "West Asian" and "Arab" under visible minority section on census.|name=MiddleEastern}}

| 30

| {{Percentage | 30 | 8210 | 2 }}

| 0

| {{Percentage | 0 | 8055 | 2 }}

| 0

| {{Percentage | 0 | 8335 | 2 }}

| 0

| {{Percentage | 0 | 8950 | 2 }}

| 0

| {{Percentage | 0 | 10240 | 2 }}

| 30

| {{Percentage | 30 | 11110 | 2 }}

| 25

| {{Percentage | 25 | 11280 | 2 }}

| 10

| {{Percentage | 10 | 11130 | 2 }}

Other/Multiracial{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "Visible minority, {{abbr|n.i.e.|not included elsewhere}}" and "Multiple visible minorities" under visible minority section on census.|name=Other}}

| 25

| {{Percentage | 25 | 8210 | 2 }}

| 55

| {{Percentage | 55 | 8055 | 2 }}

| 0

| {{Percentage | 0 | 8335 | 2 }}

| 20

| {{Percentage | 20 | 8950 | 2 }}

| 0

| {{Percentage | 0 | 10240 | 2 }}

| 15

| {{Percentage | 15 | 11110 | 2 }}

| {{N/a}}

| {{N/a}}

| {{N/a}}

| {{N/a}}

Total responses

! 8,210

! {{Percentage | 8210 | 8236 | 2 }}

! 8,055

! {{Percentage | 8055 | 8131 | 2 }}

! 8,335

! {{Percentage | 8335 | 8335 | 2 }}

! 8,950

! {{Percentage | 8950 | 8987 | 2 }}

! 10,240

! {{Percentage | 10240 | 10285 | 2 }}

! 11,110

! {{Percentage | 11110 | 11136 | 2 }}

! 11,280

! {{Percentage | 11280 | 11305 | 2 }}

! 11,130

! {{Percentage | 11130 | 11196 | 2 }}

Total population

! 8,236

! {{Percentage | 8236 | 8236 | 2 }}

! 8,131

! {{Percentage | 8131 | 8131 | 2 }}

! 8,335

! {{Percentage | 8335 | 8335 | 2 }}

! 8,987

! {{Percentage | 8987 | 8987 | 2 }}

! 10,285

! {{Percentage | 10285 | 10285 | 2 }}

! 11,136

! {{Percentage | 11136 | 11136 | 2 }}

! 11,305

! {{Percentage | 11305 | 11305 | 2 }}

! 11,196

! {{Percentage | 11196 | 11196 | 2 }}

class="sortbottom"

| colspan="20" | {{small|Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses}}

= Religion =

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Kitimat included:{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2022-10-26 |title= Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Kitimat%20&DGUIDlist=2021A00055949005&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0 |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}

class="wikitable collapsible sortable"

|+ Religious groups in the District of Kitimat (1991−2021)

! rowspan="2" |Religious group

! colspan="2" |2021

! colspan="2" |2011

! colspan="2" |2001

! colspan="2" |1991

Population

!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}

!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}

!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}

!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}

!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}

!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}

!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}

Irreligious

| 4,220

| {{Percentage | 4,220| 8,210| 2 }}

| 3,250

| {{Percentage | 3,250| 8,340| 2 }}

| 2,320

| {{Percentage | 2,320| 10,240| 2 }}

| 2,765

| {{Percentage | 2,765| 11,280| 2 }}

Christian

| 3,690

| {{Percentage | 3,690| 8,210| 2 }}

| 4,950

| {{Percentage | 4,950| 8,340| 2 }}

| 7,435

| {{Percentage | 7435| 10,240| 2 }}

| 7,775

| {{Percentage | 7775| 11,280| 2 }}

Muslim

| 110

| {{Percentage | 110| 8,210| 2 }}

| 30

| {{Percentage | 30| 8,340| 2 }}

| 15

| {{Percentage | 15 | 10,240| 2 }}

| 60

| {{Percentage | 60| 11,280| 2 }}

Hindu

| 45

| {{Percentage | 45| 8,210| 2 }}

| 30

| {{Percentage | 30| 8,340| 2 }}

| 100

| {{Percentage | 100| 10,240| 2 }}

| 95

| {{Percentage | 95| 11,280| 2 }}

Buddhist

| 35

| {{Percentage | 35| 8,210| 2 }}

| 20

| {{Percentage | 20| 8,340| 2 }}

| 15

| {{Percentage | 15 | 10,240| 2 }}

| 55

| {{Percentage | 55| 11,280| 2 }}

Sikh

| 20

| {{Percentage | 20| 8,210| 2 }}

| 55

| {{Percentage | 55| 8,340| 2 }}

| 330

| {{Percentage | 330| 10,240| 2 }}

| 505

| {{Percentage | 505| 11,280| 2 }}

Indigenous spirituality

| 10

| {{Percentage | 10| 8,210| 2 }}

| 0

| {{Percentage | 0| 8,340| 2 }}

| N/A

| N/A

| N/A

| N/A

Jewish

| 0

| {{Percentage | 0| 8,210| 2 }}

| 0

| {{Percentage | 0| 8,340| 2 }}

| 0

| {{Percentage | 0 | 10,240| 2 }}

| 10

| {{Percentage | 10| 11,280| 2 }}

Other religion

| 75

| {{Percentage | 75| 8,210| 2 }}

| 0

| {{Percentage | 0| 8,340| 2 }}

| 10

| {{Percentage | 10| 10,240| 2 }}

| 15

| {{Percentage | 15| 11,280| 2 }}

class="sortbottom"

! Total responses

! 8,210

! {{Percentage | 8,210| 8,236| 2 }}

! 8,340

! {{Percentage | 8,340| 8,335| 2 }}

! 10,240

! {{Percentage | 10,240| 10,285| 2 }}

! 11,280

! {{Percentage | 11,280| 11,305| 2 }}

Controversies

The Alcan project was not free from controversy. Politicians, aboriginal groups, farmers and residents of the Nechako Lakes District opposed the contractual release of provincial resources with the profits going to a private firm. Many individuals and groups protested the flooding caused by the creation of the new reservoir, with the destruction of homesteads, villages, burial grounds, millions of board feet of prime timber, and the disruption of prime fish habitat on the Nechako River.

In the late 1980s, the company began work on the Kemano Completion Project which would have doubled the generating capacity of the Kemano plant. After Alcan had already bored a second tunnel through the mountain and extended the generating station within the mountain, the provincial government of the day called a halt to the project for a variety of reasons. Having invested over $500 million into the project, Alcan took the provincial government to court. This controversy was settled when Alcan and the provincial government signed the 1997 KCP agreement.

Most of the first decade of the twenty-first century saw the District of Kitimat in court with the Provincial Government over the electricity rights granted to Alcan and its obligations to the Province and to the District.

Rio Tinto Alcan plans to increase the output of its Kitimat smelter from 250,000 MT/Yr to 400,000 MT/Yr and initially committed $300 million to this effort. Since late 2008, relations between Rio Tinto Alcan and the District appear to have become more cordial, with the two parties working to achieve modernization of the aluminum facilities. In December 2011, Rio Tinto Alcan announced its investment of $2.7 billion to complete the modernization of the smelter.Press Release: Rio Tinto to invest US$2.7 billion to complete the modernization of the Kitimat aluminium smelter in Canada. Online at http://www.kitimatworksmodernization.com/pages/posts/rio-tinto-to-invest-us2.7-billion-to-complete-the-modernisation-of-the-kitimat-aluminium-smelter-in-canada35.php {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402134242/http://www.kitimatworksmodernization.com/pages/posts/rio-tinto-to-invest-us2.7-billion-to-complete-the-modernisation-of-the-kitimat-aluminium-smelter-in-canada35.php |date=2 April 2015 }}

Media

=Newspapers=

  • Kitimat Northern Sentinel[http://www.northernsentinel.com/ Kitimat Northern Sentinel]
  • Skeena Reporter{{Cite web |date=2023 |title=About - The Skeena Reporter |url=https://skeenareporter.com/about |access-date=2023-11-04 |website=skeenareporter.com |language=en}}

=Radio=

=Television=

Notable people

  • Benjamin Arthur – actor
  • Kayla Czaga – poet
  • Mark Fitzpatrick – professional ice hockey goaltender
  • Wayne Kelly – Swimmer. 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. 5th – {{nowrap|4 × 200 m}} freestyle relay.
  • Jon Kelly – Swimmer. 1988 Seoul Olympics. 7th 200m butterfly, 12th 400m Individual Medley.
  • Bill Leeb – musician and record producer
  • Alison Redford – lawyer, Canadian politician, Alberta Progressive Conservative Leader and MLA (2011–2014), first female Premier of Alberta
  • Eden Robinson – author
  • Monique Goffinet Miller - first female CEO of a Commissionaires Division{{Cite web |title=Commissionaires appoints first female CEO of a Division |url=https://www.cmfmag.ca/careers/commissionaires-appoints-first-woman-divison-ceo-2/ |access-date=2023-10-15 |website=Canadian Military Family Magazine |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2022-07-12 |title=Commissionaires names first woman CEO |url=https://www.canadiansecuritymag.com/commissionaires-canada-names-first-woman-ceo/ |access-date=2023-10-15 |website=Canadian Security Magazine |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2022-07-12 |title=Monique Goffinet Miller is Appointed CEO of Commissionaires South Saskatchewan Division - Commissionaires |url=https://commissionaires.ca/en/articles/monique-goffinet-miller-is-appointed-ceo-of-commissionaires-south-saskatchewan-division/ |access-date=2023-10-15 |website=commissionaires.ca |language=en-US}}

See also

Notes

{{notelist}}

References

{{Reflist}}