Some conservation groups, nations, and communities have responded to the BC Government’s approval of the substantial start application for the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Pipeline (PRGT), saying that the province’s decision lacks free, prior and informed consent from all impacted nations, as well as ignores active court cases on the pipeline.
They say in a group release that this decision extends the pipeline’s decade-old environmental assessment certificate, into perpetuity, despite opposition and legal action taken by the Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs, whose land the pipeline would cross.
It says the project not only has an outdated environmental certificate, but claims that only a small area of Nisga’a land was cleared last summer – was accepted as “substantial” construction. In a statement from the Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs, they say they do not recognize the legal validity of the BC Government’s decision.
“This decision isn’t the end of the story for us. We’ll continue to fight to protect our territory (Lax’yip) with all actions needed, in the courts and on the ground. From August to November 2024 we denied access for PRGT pipeline construction and we’ll be continuing our efforts to ensure no construction happens on our territory” said Simooget Watakhayetsxw/Deborah Good.
This matter is currently under judicial review in the BC Supreme Court, brought forth in March, asserting that the legally required cumulative effects assessment was not conducted prior to construction.
“Granting a substantial start decision to PRGT is an act of profound environmental and social negligence that will result in lasting harm in British Columbia and beyond;” said the president of the Kispiox Valley Community Centre Association, Kathy Clay.
If allowed to proceed, the PRGT pipeline would span Northern BC, crossing 1360 waterways and five major watersheds. It would drill under the Babine, Skeena, Kispiox and Nass rivers, as well as along the seafloor to Pearse Island, despite this marine pipeline route not yet having approval from the BC Government.
Naxginkw/Tara Marsden, Wilps Sustainability Director, expressed both concern for the government precedent being implied, and the potential environmental impact.
“Our livelihoods depend on healthy and abundant sockeye from the Nass and Skeena rivers. This pipeline would cut across some of the healthiest intact salmon watersheds left in B.C. Combined with Bill 15, proposed legislation to fast-track provincially significant projects, it’s a slap in the face to many First Nations working to hold industry to account and a big step backwards on reconciliation”
And Dr. Melissa Lem, President Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, said:
“Not only does approving PRGT threaten B.C.’s ability to meet its own carbon pollution targets, but it also threatens the lives and health of people living in the communities where even more gas will be extracted.”
However, members of the First Nations Climate Initiative indicate otherwise. The group says they aim to increase Indigenous-led and partnered projects that will drive Canada’s growth, create jobs and strengthen long-term competitiveness—while delivering on climate goals and supporting Indigenous leadership.
Eva Clayton, elected President of the Nisga’a Nation and FNCI founding leader, said recently in a statement;
“FNCI and its partners have been advancing an interconnected set of projects that further the interests of Indigenous Peoples, grow the Canadian economy significantly, and are directly mitigating the impacts of climate change. These projects include Indigenous-owned and partnered LNG facilities, new low-carbon energy technologies, mines that are key to the critical minerals strategy, and the transmission infrastructure and generation that powers the northern economy with clean and secure power. When you add them all together, they amount to over $60 billion in investment oriented to new markets that will strengthen Canada’s autonomy, resiliency and security.”
Facilitator of the First Nations Climate Initiative Alex Grybowski said the group is committed to offsetting climate impact.
“So that you get to sort of net-zero in terms of environmental impact. And then after that you invest in restoration. And so, you set up a fund, that can fund restoration projects that not only compensate for the impacts that have occurred because you’ve already offset them, but actually improve environmental quality.”
And this was a significant decision our new Minister for Parks and Environment and North Coast MLA Tamara Davidson, who said in a statement;
“The substantial start determination, which is an administrative decision, was delegated to the CEAO, consistent with most substantial start decisions. I am confident the CEAO has thoroughly and thoughtfully considered all the information that relates to the determination, including the significant amount of interest from First Nations in the region and members of the public.”
Davidson said the project will be monitored though it’s lifetime. She said the Environmental Assessment Office continues to assess requests for changes to the project route and where the pipeline ends, work which includes ongoing consultation with First Nations.
She also said the EAO compliance and enforcement officers will monitor the project as it is developed to make sure it meets all requirements throughout construction and operation.
The Environmental Assessment Office says that primary permits for this project were issued in 2015, when the pipeline was originally intended to service a now-cancelled LNG export facility on Lelu Island. They say applications for route amendments to BCER permits as well as the Environmental Assessment Certificate will still be required for the proposed routing changes.
This proposed project is an approximately 800-kilometre natural gas pipeline running from Northeast BC (near Chetwynd) to Pearse Island, the site of the proposed Ksi Lisims LNG facility, which is about 80 km north of Prince Rupert. The pipeline route would include both terrestrial and marine sections and would have a capacity of 2-3.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/day). This is slightly less than LNG Canada’s Phase 1, which begins commercial operations this summer.