Vancouver, Jan. 12, 2024 – The sudden departure of Andion Global Inc. from the North American Waste to Methane Market coupled with key personnel changes at the end of 2023 has cast a shadow over news about the Semiahmoo Andion Renewable Natural Gas Project for 2024 For sources reporting Andion directors’ scandals in Sweden, Australia, Luxembourg, and North America, as well as links to Andion's history and operational problems, see here.[1]. The replacement of former CEO F. Phillip Abrary by the enigmatic Jonas Martin-Löf [2b] has fuelled speculation surrounding the demise of Andion and the fragile nature of the project.

Recent revelations indicate that Andion's founders, financiers, and associates have been embroiled in prior scandals in Sweden, Australia, Luxembourg, and North America linked to other companies, banks and religious cults, and which allegedly led as far as death threats, espionage accusations, and substantial financial implications reported to be in excess of $750m. [2a, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17]

Ongoing investigations into these ventures, including accusations of fraud and international money laundering [10], led to the Australian Competition and Consumer Authority (ACCC) sharply criticizing the use of unauthorized marketing and sales practices. This also resulted in a lawsuit being filed against Jonas Martin-Löf as well as White Cloud Capital who are behind Andion, and the imposition of significant fines of $160 million due to "unconscionable conduct" and "false and misleading representations". [9, 18] These significant revelations render disingenuous the claims of "extreme due diligence" being undertaken before Semiahmoo First Nation partnered with Andion for this profit driven RNG project.

The Clean Air Alliance of Canada, known for its staunch position against RNG gas refinery projects of this type, has also uncovered discrepancies in Andion's reported operational record, exposing two North American RNG projects, Rhode Island and Charlotte NC, quoted as "disasters that were over budget, underperforming, and deficient." [19] Observers have suggested that Andion's checkered past could possibly explain the hasty retreat of Andion Global Inc. once the truth started to break.

Recent revelations have also raised questions regarding the potential exploitation of Indigenous Groups by private companies like Andion. Skepticism about motives has been expressed, especially when considering the possibility of bypassing standard due diligence procedures by federal and regional governments in projects like the Semiahmoo Andion RNG proposal. The concerns extend to the pledged funding from Natural Resources Canada [20] and the Business Development Bank of Canada [21], given the scandals surrounding Andion and its Officers. Doubts also surround the integrity, true sustainability of proposed solutions, and commitments to public health and safety by Andion.

The lack of control over the costs of such an expensive project are also under scrutiny, considering that the normal route of competitive tendering for the contract would be eliminated by the declared partnership with Andion. This underscores the need for a thorough examination of ethical and procedural aspects in public-interest projects involving both government funding and private enterprises, especially in cases with Indigenous involvement where formalities for allocating public funding may be reduced.

Three prevailing theories have emerged regarding Andion's progress over the last five years: either the existing system’s due diligence process is flawed; there may be complicity within the system; or the project's involvement with Indigenous First Nations contributed to authorities being blindsided by alleged partner deficiencies. It has been suggested that a combination of the three may be the reason why this project gained any traction, when Andion was so obviously not the entity they claimed to be.

Ongoing investigations seek to pinpoint the causes of these failures and to understand how this proposal came to consume such substantial public time and funds despite the apparent lack of credibility behind Andion, the company with most to gain from the Semiahmoo First Nation project, while failing to hold them accountable for its ultimate success or failure. In conclusion, every effort must be made in the future to prevent this type of situation from recurring.

To compound the latest news about Andion, Alex Browne a reporter at the Peace Arch News did manage to get a hastily prepared statement from ousted Andion Head of Marketing, Ashley Brookes, in which there was an attempt to downplay concerns. The statement claims that, yet another Andion restructuring would result in a “healthy, debt-free, stand-alone business,” causing conjecture that it implies quite the opposite in relation to their current SFN RNG refinery proposal. [1]

“In light of these latest disturbing revelations, we have sought statements from concerned parties and previous proponents for Andion, including Jonas Martin-Löf CEO Andion Global, Nicholas Watkins of White Cloud, F. Phillip Abrary and Eric Streeter of Semiahmoo RNG GP Corp., Chief Harley Chappell of Semiahmoo First Nation, Kathy Preston of Metro Vancouver, The Honourable Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay MP for South Surrey, Honorable Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, David Bennett, director at FortisBC, Nathaniel Lowbeer-Lewis, Vice President, Spring Lane Capital, Hugh Crossley, CEO of Equitix, Vivian Kan, Director of BDC and Desjardins Capital Markets regarding the future of the Semiahmoo RNG project”, stated a spokesperson for The Clean Air Alliance of Canada. "As of now, no official comments have been forthcoming from any of these former Andion supporters, giving the clear impression that the project has become ‘too hot to handle’ and somewhat of an embarrassment for those involved”.

They continued, "We hope, for the residents of this community, including those on the Semiahmoo Reserve, that this contentious project is quietly dropped, and that the leaders of Semiahmoo First Nation take a philosophical view in the future regarding signing partnerships with unknown entities such as profit-driven private corporations. Respectfully, the best option now is to embrace this opportunity to develop a truly sustainable renewable energy project for SFN lands following the Just Transitions principles, that avoids the False Solutions that may put First Nations territories and integrity in danger.”

Until final confirmation is forthcoming about the future of the Andion Semiahmoo RNG project, residents of White Rock and South Surrey concerned about the possible impacts of the Semiahmoo gas refinery project are urged to promptly voice their opposition by completing a quick 2-minute form here.

For sources reporting Andion directors’ scandals in Sweden, Australia, Luxembourg, and North America, as well as links to Andion's history and operational problems, see here.