Coastal First Nations stand firm against Alberta premiers oil pipeline proposal

A group of First Nations along the coast of British Columbia has been swift to condemn an Alberta led pipeline project that would run through their territories.  Marilyn Slett, president of Coastal First Nations – Great Bear Initiative, and elected chief of the Heiltsuk Nation, issued a statement in response to Premier Danielle Smith’s announcement today of Alberta as the proponent to push a new oil pipeline from Alberta to the BC northwest coast.   “As the Rights and Title holders of BC’s North and Central Coast and Haida Gwaii, we must inform Premier Smith once again that there is no support from Coastal First Nations for a pipeline and oil tankers project in our coastal waters,” said Slett in a news release.  “We, along with the communities and municipalities of the North and Central Coast and Haida Gwaii, have fought to keep crude oil tankers out of our territorial waters for over 50 years,” Slett said.  “This is not a decision we take lightly; it represents decades of community engagement and consultation.”  Smith announced Wednesday Alberta will be a proponent of an oil pipeline and “will lead a technical advisory group of companies with Indigenous participants to advance a West Coast pipeline application.”  The Alberta government said in a news release it “will develop and submit a formal application for a project of national significance to the Federal Major Projects Office under the Building Canada Act.” But, Slett said their organization will not back down. “We participated in years of consultation with the National Energy Board’s Joint Review Panel for the failed Northern Gateway project and the response from our regions was a definitive no,” Slett said.  “In 2019, Ottawa passed Bill C-48, the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act,to protect our coastal waters on behalf of all Canadians. Bill C-48 represents how valuable our coast is to all British Columbians, and we, along with the province, remain committed to keeping it in place.”  “Premier Smith’s continued talk of oil pipelines and tankers, and the risk of a catastrophic oil spill in BC’s coastal waters, is not nation-building. In fact, it risks the goodwill and support of First Nations for more realistic and economically valuable nation-building projects in BC and beyond,” Slett said. “Our Nations understand the economic challenges Canada is facing, which is why we support major projects that are built in partnership with Indigenous peoples, that grow and sustain our natural capital, create jobs that support our communities, foster resiliency, and build Canada’s national security in times of economic uncertainty.”  Smith meanwhile contends that when completed, “the proposed pipeline will significantly increase market access to responsibly and ethically produced Canadian crude oil products.” The pro oil and gas National Coalition of Chiefs is onside with Alberta, saying an oil pipeline “can be a way to drive economic reconciliation.” “We are happy that Alberta is leading an effort to get another pipeline to the West Coast, and we are especially happy that they have decided to engage with Indigenous nations in B.C. and Alberta right from the very beginning of the process,” said Dale Swampy, the president of the coalition. Alberta expects the application submission to the Federal Major Projects Office will happen in the spring of 2026. The three companies participating in the technical advisory group are South Bow, Enbridge and Trans Mountain. Continue Reading