Alberta energy minister believes new pipeline will have Indigenous support

Brian Jean said his priority is to strike a balance between climate policy and the ability to compete on the global energy market. Photo by David Bloom/Postmedia

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“The conversations I’m having with First Nations, and have had up to this time, have been very positive,” Energy Minister Brian Jean said in an interview with Bloomberg News.

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The loudest voices in opposition to the pipeline don’t necessarily speak for the communities that live along the prospective routes, he said.

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Alberta, the province home to Canada’s largest oil deposits, signed an energy agreement with Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government last November that included a potential new pipeline through British Columbia to supply crude to Asian markets.

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While the plan is for the private sector to eventually build and operate it, for now the Alberta government is developing the proposal itself.

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Jean said his government is working hard on both Indigenous consultations and environmental plans ahead of submitting its application to the federal Major Projects Office for review. “We’re making sure that those parts of the agreement or negotiations are well underway, if not completed,” he said.

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Asked directly if he expects to have Indigenous support for the pipeline application, he answered, “Yes, I do.”

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Gaining the support of affected Indigenous groups is important to building major infrastructure in Canada. While it’s possible to construct projects over the objections of First Nations, governments are legally required to deeply consult with impacted communities, and the path is smoother with their support.

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The federal government and provinces have also created funds to help Indigenous groups buy equity stakes in energy projects, and the agreement Alberta signed with Carney foresees Indigenous co-ownership of the proposed pipeline.

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Jean said a route through northern BC “only makes sense” in comparison to trying to build one south to Vancouver. Attempting to follow the same route as the Trans Mountain pipeline, as some have advocated, is “not very feasible,” he said, in part because of how expensive it would be to build.

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“We need a pipeline to go down a new route that will benefit the people along those routes,” Jean said. “The opportunities in the north are not just significant from our perspective, they’re significant for the people that live there.”

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The Alberta government is examining three potential routes in northern BC, including one that would terminate in the port city of Prince Rupert and two more further north along the coast, Bloomberg reported last week.

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There is already another major energy project planned for that region. Ksi Lisims LNG, a new liquefied natural gas export terminal on the coast north of Prince Rupert, has regulatory approval and the backing of the Nisga’a Nation, an Indigenous group that owns the development land. The project is still waiting for a final investment decision.