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Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Report raises questions about First Nations ownership in major projects
OTTAWA - A new think tank report is questioning how the federal and provincial governments' sprint to build major infrastructure projects might affect Indigenous Peoples' rights — and warns that it could end up pitting Indigenous communities against each other. The report by the Yellowhead Institute, 'Buried Burdens,' takes a look at major projects through a case study of the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Project and the Ksi Lisims facility in B.C., which are expected to transport millions of tonnes of gas per year. Owned in part by the Nisga'a Nation, the project has seen staunch opposition from other First Nations communities that did not approve or consent to it. The Yellowhead report, released this week, comes amid a countrywide push to rapidly launch major projects, including pipelines, to shore up the economy against U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war. The recently passed One Canadian Economy Act gives Ottawa the power to fast-track projects it deems to be in the national interest by sidestepping environmental protections and other legislation. Governments have been encouraging First Nations leaders to support such projects through loan guarantees and promises of financial incentives. But many First Nations leaders fear their ways of life could be irreparably harmed if governments evade environmental standards. 'Right now, the narrative is full speed ahead on resource development,' said Hayden King, a member of Beausoliel First Nation who serves as Yellowhead's executive director. 'Increasingly, that includes Indigenous partners, but there's not a lot of discussion on the dynamics of investing in projects like these, and there's a risk that has to be considered … 'First Nations are not necessarily the ones merely impacted by these developments, but they're being encouraged to invest in these projects, to be partners in these projects and grant social licence to enable these projects.' Some provinces have enacted laws similar to the One Canadian Economy Act, including Bill 5 in Ontario, now the subject of a court challenge by nine First Nations. And in B.C., Premier David Eby's government passed Bills 14 and 15 — pieces of legislation meant to ramp up energy and infrastructure development that have come under fire from First Nations. Prime Minister Mark Carney has frequently pointed to Indigenous participation in major projects as a means to ensure their success and prevent delays. He has pointed to the $10 billion Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program as proof of Ottawa's commitment to ensuring Indigenous communities have a meaningful stake. The report challenges that argument altogether, calling it an 'industry-driven narrative.' 'While there are potential benefits from participating in equity ownership when compared to shorter-term impact benefit agreements and service contracts, there are also greater risks,' the report says. 'This particular philosophy of 'economic reconciliation' imagines Indigenous communities regaining control of their economies, aiming for self-sufficiency, sustainability, and self-determination. This is an industry-driven narrative that presents resource extraction as the singular pathway to achieve these ends.' That narrative, the report says, could also cause rifts between Indigenous communities that support specific projects and those that do not. 'While uncomfortable, conflict and disagreement are part of Nation-to-Nation relationships — and always have been. However, it is equally important to recognize that in true Nation-to-Nation relationships, the self-determining rights of one Nation cannot supersede the inherent rights of another,' the report says. King said potential conflicts between pro-development communities and those more hesitant lends itself to conversations about the kinds of development that align with their values. But that conversation is also about rights, King said, and how courts will strike a balance among First Nations who don't see eye-to-eye on project proposals. 'Let's not have the courts decide the answers to those questions, but let's actually work through diplomacy and figure those out on our own terms, using our own Indigenous law,' he said. King said that discussion should 'feed back into the conversation about what kind of economy … we want,' pointing to the pre-contact economies that once sustained Indigenous Peoples. 'We had these economies, and still do to a degree. So what would it look like to reimagine those, and rearticulate them in the face of the narrative that we only have one option, which is resource development?' he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Report raises questions about First Nations ownership in major projects
OTTAWA – A new think tank report is questioning how the federal and provincial governments' sprint to build major infrastructure projects might affect Indigenous Peoples' rights — and warns that it could end up pitting Indigenous communities against each other. The report by the Yellowhead Institute, 'Buried Burdens,' takes a look at major projects through a case study of the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Project and the Ksi Lisims facility in B.C., which are expected to transport millions of tonnes of gas per year. Owned in part by the Nisga'a Nation, the project has seen staunch opposition from other First Nations communities that did not approve or consent to it. The Yellowhead report, released this week, comes amid a countrywide push to rapidly launch major projects, including pipelines, to shore up the economy against U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war. The recently passed One Canadian Economy Act gives Ottawa the power to fast-track projects it deems to be in the national interest by sidestepping environmental protections and other legislation. Governments have been encouraging First Nations leaders to support such projects through loan guarantees and promises of financial incentives. But many First Nations leaders fear their ways of life could be irreparably harmed if governments evade environmental standards. 'Right now, the narrative is full speed ahead on resource development,' said Hayden King, a member of Beausoliel First Nation who serves as Yellowhead's executive director. 'Increasingly, that includes Indigenous partners, but there's not a lot of discussion on the dynamics of investing in projects like these, and there's a risk that has to be considered … 'First Nations are not necessarily the ones merely impacted by these developments, but they're being encouraged to invest in these projects, to be partners in these projects and grant social licence to enable these projects.' Some provinces have enacted laws similar to the One Canadian Economy Act, including Bill 5 in Ontario, now the subject of a court challenge by nine First Nations. And in B.C., Premier David Eby's government passed Bills 14 and 15 — pieces of legislation meant to ramp up energy and infrastructure development that have come under fire from First Nations. Prime Minister Mark Carney has frequently pointed to Indigenous participation in major projects as a means to ensure their success and prevent delays. He has pointed to the $10 billion Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program as proof of Ottawa's commitment to ensuring Indigenous communities have a meaningful stake. The report challenges that argument altogether, calling it an 'industry-driven narrative.' 'While there are potential benefits from participating in equity ownership when compared to shorter-term impact benefit agreements and service contracts, there are also greater risks,' the report says. 'This particular philosophy of 'economic reconciliation' imagines Indigenous communities regaining control of their economies, aiming for self-sufficiency, sustainability, and self-determination. This is an industry-driven narrative that presents resource extraction as the singular pathway to achieve these ends.' That narrative, the report says, could also cause rifts between Indigenous communities that support specific projects and those that do not. 'While uncomfortable, conflict and disagreement are part of Nation-to-Nation relationships — and always have been. However, it is equally important to recognize that in true Nation-to-Nation relationships, the self-determining rights of one Nation cannot supersede the inherent rights of another,' the report says. King said potential conflicts between pro-development communities and those more hesitant lends itself to conversations about the kinds of development that align with their values. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. But that conversation is also about rights, King said, and how courts will strike a balance among First Nations who don't see eye-to-eye on project proposals. 'Let's not have the courts decide the answers to those questions, but let's actually work through diplomacy and figure those out on our own terms, using our own Indigenous law,' he said. King said that discussion should 'feed back into the conversation about what kind of economy … we want,' pointing to the pre-contact economies that once sustained Indigenous Peoples. 'We had these economies, and still do to a degree. So what would it look like to reimagine those, and rearticulate them in the face of the narrative that we only have one option, which is resource development?' he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2025.
CBC
29-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
Canada is getting a second shot at becoming a major LNG player
A decade after a promised boom in the liquified natural gas industry failed to materialize, Canada has arrived at the starting line, rekindling some aspirations of becoming a major LNG player. The long-awaited LNG Canada project is now up and running — and there are six more projects in various stages of development. If all of them come through, together they would represent $109 billion in capital investment, according to Natural Resources Canada. This comes amid renewed political appetite to build major infrastructure, bolster the Canadian economy and diversify exports away from the U.S. But the U.S. still leads Canada by a wide margin as an LNG exporter, and even if all projects currently under development end up being built, some warn Canada may have already missed the chance of being a major player. "I don't think Canada's ever going to be an LNG-exporting superpower," said Ed Crooks, vice-chair of the Americas for global consultancy Wood Mackenzie. But he said the country has plenty of room to ramp up its export capacity. 'It means prosperity' One proposed facility is in a small fishing community about 800 kilometres north of Vancouver. The Nisga'a community of Gingolx, population roughly 500, is known as the seafood capital of the Nass River. In the next few years, it could have a conspicuous new neighbour: Ksi Lisims LNG, a floating terminal that will export LNG to Asia. The project is proposed by the Nisga'a Nation of B.C. in partnership with Rockies LNG, a group of Western Canadian natural gas producers, and Western LNG, a Houston-based company that develops LNG export facilities. "It means, in one word, prosperity," said Eva Clayton, elected president of the Nisga'a Nation. Clayton said the nation has gone "through the trenches" over the last 10 years to get the project off the ground, and hopes to make a final investment decision later this year. Failure to launch Ksi Lisims is among seven proposed LNG projects at various stages of development. Most have Indigenous ownership or partnerships — a major shift from the projects proposed a decade ago. At the time, a few dozen LNG projects were proposed in B.C. as part of an initial wave of interest in the nascent industry. The majority of those projects were cancelled for a variety of reasons, such as regulatory hurdles and a crash in commodity prices. The U.S. only began ramping up its LNG exports in 2016, but has continued to build to become the world's largest exporter of LNG. Some experts say the diverging outcomes speak to the level of policy uncertainty and red tape that companies in this country have had to contend with. "One of the fundamental problems has been it's been very, very difficult to build any kind of energy infrastructure in Canada," said Crooks. "Anything you try and build, there are a lot of people that have objections," he said, pointing to community groups and environmental activists raising concerns with either the specific location or broader ecological impact of a project. WATCH | Can Canada become a global LNG powerhouse? Exploring Canada's LNG potential as first-ever exports begin 4 minutes ago Duration 4:15 Times may be changing. Ottawa, along with B.C. and Ontario, have each passed legislation aimed at speeding up major projects — though not without opposition. Public polling suggests Canadians are becoming more comfortable with the idea of new infrastructure, including pipelines. Demand for natural gas is expected to grow 70 to 80 per cent through 2050, according to Wood Mackenzie. That's thanks to a variety of factors, ranging from the world's growing population to power demand from AI data centres and air conditioning to the role of natural gas as an alternative to coal. Canada has significant natural gas reserves, and B.C.'s Northwest coast provides a quick and secure route to markets in Asia. The U.S. is eyeing the same opportunity. While much of the U.S. export facilities are located on the Gulf Coast, one proposed $50-billion mega-project is located in Alaska. The White House is backing the project, including around $30 billion US in loan guarantees. "It could be, certainly, a major competitor for projects on Canada's West Coast," said Martin King, a Calgary-based analyst with RBN Energy. Heather Exner-Pirot, director of energy, natural resources and environment with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, says the Alaska project does face certain logistical challenges. Because of where the resource is located, it would need a longer pipeline traversing terrain, and materials, equipment and labour would have to be transported to isolated areas, driving up costs. Still, she said, the project could present a pretty compelling case to investors. "Alaska really wants it and all levels of government are aligned," said Exner-Pirot. "You have the secretary of energy, you have the governor of Alaska, you have everyone getting together and saying, 'We want your investment, we'll build fast, we're a reliable exporter." Ellis Ross, Conservative MP for Skeena-Bulkley Valley, isn't convinced the current political momentum around building major projects will translate into success. "What I see right now is this rhetoric — it's virtue-signalling," said Ross, who is also former chief councillor of the Haisla Nation. "I don't think this government is truly sincere in turning Canada into an energy superpower, let alone fast-tracking major projects." Rushing in Others are concerned the country is veering in the wrong direction, green-lighting projects without fully considering the environmental consequences. The community of Kispiox, about 300 kilometres up the Skeena River, is known as a fishing destination and boasts being the steelhead capital of the world. "This is one of the rare parts of the world where you can drink from the streams, you could drink from the rivers," said Kolin Sutherland-Wilson, elected chief councillor of the Kispiox Band. The community is also about 15 kilometres from the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission line, which would transport natural gas from northeastern B.C. to the Ksi Lisims project on the coast. Sutherland-Wilson said community members are concerned about the impact on the local watershed and salmon population. While the B.C. government recently approved the pipeline's continued construction, he expects there will likely be further protests, and is part of a group challenging the pipeline's approval in B.C. Supreme Court. "I would say this is the calm before the storm right now," he said. WATCH | Opposition to new pipelines persists in B.C.: Local communities worried about pipeline required for Ksi Lisims LNG 4 minutes ago Duration 2:39 Kathy Clay, president of the Kispiox Valley Community Centre Association and Chief Councilor Kolin Sutherland-Wilson of the Kispiox Band explain their concerns about the proposed pipeline. Climate concerns are another variable. Natural gas can help countries get off coal, but it is still a fossil fuel. While the pendulum of public discourse has recently swung away from climate change, it will inevitably swing back, said Crooks at Wood Mackenzie. Window of opportunity That means Canada has a narrow window to capitalize on the current upswing in LNG demand. Dulles Wang, another analyst with Wood Mackenzie, said the next five to 10 years will be critical, when demand from markets in Asia is expected to be strongest. "Beyond that, the story is a lot murkier, because the role of gas in the energy space is becoming much more uncertain," said Wang, a director on the firm's Americas gas and LNG research team, who said that at a certain point, renewables could start to displace natural gas. "The clock is definitely ticking." Clayton with the Nisga'a Nation is optimistic about breaking ground on her LNG project next year. She's eager to see the first vessel come up the river to pick up the first shipments, which could happen as early as 2029. "It's going to be amazing, and it's going to be bringing a lot of smiles and happiness to our people," said Clayton. "We see the project not just benefitting for the moment, but in perpetuity."
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
B.C. premier defends new LNG pipeline with terminus near Prince Rupert
B.C. Premier David Eby is defending the provincial government's approval to continue construction on a new pipeline project that will supply natural gas to a proposed floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal north of Prince Rupert, saying his government would not turn away investment in the province. The Prince Rupert Gas Transmission project is a joint venture between the Nisga'a Nation and Texas-based Western LNG to supply natural gas to the proposed Ksi Lisims LNG facility, a project the province says is still undergoing environmental assessment. "The Ksi Lisims project is an Indigenous-owned project led by the Nisga'a Nation. They are a treaty nation that has control over their jurisdiction," Eby said, speaking from Seoul, South Korea, as he nears the end of his 10-day trade mission to Asia. "They have a vision for economic growth in the area, for their people, which includes selling B.C. resources into the Asian market, where I am right now." The Nisga'a Nation and Western LNG say the Ksi Lisims project would be a floating production facility capable of producing 12 million tonnes of LNG per year. The project faces opposition from several environmental groups and the Gitanyow hereditary chiefs, who argue it will have negative environmental consequences, including a risk to important salmon habitat. Tara Marsden, sustainability director for the Gitanyow hereditary chiefs, previously told CBC News there are concerns about Western LNG's financial backing from Blackstone Inc. Blackstone is a major American asset manager whose CEO publicly endorsed U.S. President Donald Trump and contributed to his election campaign — with Marsden saying the investment undermines any notion that the project is needed to push back against Trump's tariff threats. CBC News asked Eby whether the bulk of the profits from the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission project would enrich a U.S. company. "We're not in the business of turning away investment in British Columbia," the premier responded. "Especially investment that assists us in diversifying our customers for our resources and allows us to get a higher price for those resources." The pipeline was first approved in 2014 under the ownership of Calgary-based TC Energy Corp, when it was meant to supply the now-cancelled Pacific NorthWest LNG terminal spearheaded by Malaysian energy giant Petronas. It was purchased by the Nisga'a Nation and Western LNG in 2024 under their revised proposal for the Ksi Lisims facility. Eby says he wants to work with Alberta Eby was also asked Monday about comments from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who said she could convince him to drop his opposition to a second crude oil pipeline from Alberta to B.C.'s North Coast. "I'm not the one who stands between Premier Smith and a pipeline to the coast. There's no proponent, there's no money, there's no project right now," Eby said. "In the event that Premier Smith is successful in assembling those things, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Prime Minister Mark Carney said last week he supports "nation-building projects," including a possible decarbonized oil pipeline — if he can find consensus among the said companies in South Korea that he's talking to are focused on bringing in hydrogen. He said that would involve Alberta using blue hydrogen, and B.C. exporting green hydrogen, which he said would aid in carbon transition. "I'm happy to talk to Premier Smith about our shared goals of increasing prosperity, about uniting the country," he told reporters. "Focusing on a project that currently does not exist, and focusing on our differences rather than where we can work together, is not the spirit." Eby travelled from Malaysia to Seoul where he met with officials from conglomerates like Hyundai and Samsung as well as the Canadian ambassador to South Korea. His trade mission to Asia, a bid to diversify the province's trading relationships amid the tariff war with the U.S., will wrap up Tuesday.
CBC
10-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
B.C. premier defends new LNG pipeline with terminus near Prince Rupert
B.C. Premier David Eby is defending the provincial government's approval to continue construction on a new pipeline project that will supply natural gas to a proposed floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal north of Prince Rupert, saying his government would not turn away investment in the province. The Prince Rupert Gas Transmission project is a joint venture between the Nisga'a Nation and Texas-based Western LNG to supply natural gas to the proposed Ksi Lisims LNG facility, a project the province says is still undergoing environmental assessment. "The Ksi Lisims project is an Indigenous-owned project led by the Nisga'a Nation. They are a treaty nation that has control over their jurisdiction," Eby said, speaking from Seoul, South Korea, as he nears the end of his 10-day trade mission to Asia. "They have a vision for economic growth in the area, for their people, which includes selling B.C. resources into the Asian market, where I am right now." The Nisga'a Nation and Western LNG say the Ksi Lisims project would be a floating production facility capable of producing 12 million tonnes of LNG per year. The project faces opposition from several environmental groups and the Gitanyow hereditary chiefs, who argue it will have negative environmental consequences, including a risk to important salmon habitat. Tara Marsden, sustainability director for the Gitanyow hereditary chiefs, previously told CBC News there are concerns about Western LNG's financial backing from Blackstone Inc. Blackstone is a major American asset manager whose CEO publicly endorsed U.S. President Donald Trump and contributed to his election campaign — with Marsden saying the investment undermines any notion that the project is needed to push back against Trump's tariff threats. CBC News asked Eby whether the bulk of the profits from the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission project would enrich a U.S. company. "We're not in the business of turning away investment in British Columbia," the premier responded. "Especially investment that assists us in diversifying our customers for our resources and allows us to get a higher price for those resources." The pipeline was first approved in 2014 under the ownership of Calgary-based TC Energy Corp, when it was meant to supply the now-cancelled Pacific NorthWest LNG terminal spearheaded by Malaysian energy giant Petronas. It was purchased by the Nisga'a Nation and Western LNG in 2024 under their revised proposal for the Ksi Lisims facility. Eby says he wants to work with Alberta Eby was also asked Monday about comments from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who said she could convince him to drop his opposition to a second crude oil pipeline from Alberta to B.C.'s North Coast. "I'm not the one who stands between Premier Smith and a pipeline to the coast. There's no proponent, there's no money, there's no project right now," Eby said. "In the event that Premier Smith is successful in assembling those things, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Prime Minister Mark Carney said last week he supports "nation-building projects," including a possible decarbonized oil pipeline — if he can find consensus among the premiers. WATCH | Smith pushes for pipeline through northwest B.C.: Hearing PM talk about northwestern pipeline 'very encouraging': Alberta premier | Power & Politics 7 days ago Duration 8:37 Alberta Premier Danielle Smith tells Power & Politics she found Prime Minister Mark Carney's comments on a possible northwestern pipeline 'very encouraging' and a 'sea change' from where first ministers' discussions on energy projects were six months ago. Eby said companies in South Korea that he's talking to are focused on bringing in hydrogen. He said that would involve Alberta using blue hydrogen, and B.C. exporting green hydrogen, which he said would aid in carbon transition. "I'm happy to talk to Premier Smith about our shared goals of increasing prosperity, about uniting the country," he told reporters. "Focusing on a project that currently does not exist, and focusing on our differences rather than where we can work together, is not the spirit." Eby travelled from Malaysia to Seoul where he met with officials from conglomerates like Hyundai and Samsung as well as the Canadian ambassador to South Korea. His trade mission to Asia, a bid to diversify the province's trading relationships amid the tariff war with the U.S., will wrap up Tuesday.
