sound moms
For the land we love. The water that connects us.
And the future we’re raising together.
Motherhood is where our story begins. Shared love for the Howe Sound is what brings us together.
Raising children means loving a future we cannot fully see. Sound Moms brings us together to deepen our connection to the Howe Sound, make room for what we’re feeling and turn our care into collective action—for our children, our communities and the living world.
We’re a mom-led community of neighbours in Britannia Beach, Squamish and beyond—asking questions, sharing knowledge and working toward independent air testing and monitoring.
The beauty of the Howe Sound holds a story of damage, restoration and renewal. Decades of work have helped life return to waters affected by industrial pollution. Today, Átl’ḵa7tsem / Howe Sound is a UNESCO Biosphere Region—a place of extraordinary ecological richness, and the place our children call home.
That recovery gives us hope. It also gives us a responsibility to ask careful questions about what comes next.
Discover the recovery story →
A pregnancy study, a local map, and lessons from Kitimat. Start here; explore the sources when you have a moment.
A UCLA–USC study linked high flaring exposure within 5 km of homes during pregnancy with 50% higher odds of preterm birth, compared with no nearby flaring.
23,487 births · Texas, 2012–2015 · Published in 2020
High exposure: 10 or more satellite-detected nightly flare events over pregnancy. These were events, not necessarily separate flares.
Distance comparison, not a pollution map or a safety boundary. Local distances are approximate and vary by the points measured.
Explore Woodfibre LNG and the communities across the water. Tap a marker for context.
Loading map… Approximate distances: Britannia Beach 5–5.5 km; downtown Squamish 7 km from Woodfibre LNG.
The dashed circle shows distance only. It is centred on an approximate facility location, not a surveyed flare stack. The Texas study counted flaring within 5 km of homes; this circle illustrates that distance locally. It does not show pollution spread, exposure or a safe/unsafe boundary.
Markers are representative points, not community boundaries. Distance summaries use published project descriptions, rather than measurements to these map pins. Basemap: Esri, HERE, Garmin, Intermap, INCREMENT P, GEBCO, USGS, FAO, NPS, NRCan, GeoBase, IGN, Kadaster NL, Ordnance Survey, Esri Japan, METI, Mapwithyou, NOSTRA, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS User Community. Map locations: Woodfibre industrial site / OpenStreetMap · Britannia Beach / BC Geographical Names · Squamish / BC Geographical Names.
What this means for our families
The Texas study raises questions worth asking here. It studied a different industrial setting and does not predict a 50% increase in preterm births in the Howe Sound. Local risk needs local emissions, weather and monitoring data.
Sources: Cushing et al., Environmental Health Perspectives (2020); UCLA’s plain-language summary; Woodfibre project description, §2.3.3 (5.5 km / 7 km); Woodfibre flaring FAQ (about 5 km to Britannia Beach).
Reporting about LNG Canada in Kitimat, a different facility. These experiences help us ask local questions; they do not predict outcomes at Woodfibre.
Documents described at least 170,000 m³ of gas per day to manage a flare equipment issue, versus a typical 11,000 m³.
For Howe Sound families
Why we’re asking for prompt disclosure of equipment problems and repair plans.
The regulator said the extra gas mitigated the equipment issue. Gas volume does not measure residents’ exposure.
Reporting on October 2025–January 2026 filings found average multiples of 45 for warm/wet flares and 40 for cold/dry flares.
For Howe Sound families
Why we want clear limits, public reporting and accountability when limits are exceeded.
These are separate flare categories, not one overall multiplier. LNG Canada said flaring would decline in regular operation.
One production unit’s acid-gas incinerator was reportedly offline for 139 days across eight months, September 2025–April 2026.
For Howe Sound families
Why we ask what safeguards apply when pollution-control equipment is unavailable.
The company and regulator defended burning the gas in a flare; an interviewed engineer disputed equivalence. Downtime alone does not quantify exposure.
The investigation described gaps in identifying individual pollutants and elevated readings for a broad hydrocarbon category.
For Howe Sound families
Why we want independent testing designed around specific pollutants, locations and short-duration events.
The reporting did not establish the source of the readings or a link to residents’ illnesses. The company and regulator said increased flaring had not measurably affected local air quality.
Woodfibre and local health questions — CBC ↗
Calls for stronger oversight — Vancouver Sun ↗
Original monitoring data — BC Energy Regulator ↗
Community benzene sampling — Kitimat Airshed Group ↗
Clear answers start with a community willing to ask.
Let’s Make Waves ↗We currently estimate we will need to fundraise approximately $200,000 CAD for independent testing and monitoring in the Howe Sound.
Independent testing. Clear answers. A community looking out for its children.
Let’s Make Waves ↗Making waves, together.
Concert series in development
Artists · dates · venues to be announced
A room full of neighbours. A healthier future to show up for.
Our concert series in development will bring people together to support independent monitoring and community education in the Howe Sound.
Artists, dates and venues will be shared when confirmed.
Let’s Make Waves ↗No concerts or ticket sales are currently announced.
Join us for updates on community gatherings, future concerts and independent testing and monitoring for the Howe Sound.