Canada Considers Oil Pipeline Amid Opposition from First Nations and Environmentalists
Canada is considering approval of a pipeline to transport at least one million barrels per day of bitumen from Alberta to Asia, a move that could potentially lift the 53-year-old oil-tanker ban on British Columbia’s north coast. Federal leadership may use new powers to expedite the permitting and approval process for the pipeline and related coastal projects.
However, this plan faces strong opposition from Coastal First Nations, representing nine central-coast nations, who view the tanker ban as non-negotiable. Chiefs representing over 600 First Nations voted to uphold the tanker ban and withdraw from the federal-Alberta deal. For the Heiltsuk Nation, concerns are heightened by the 2016 Nathan E Stewart spill near Seaforth Channel, which released approximately 110,000 litres of diesel, damaging cultural harvesting sites and ecosystems and requiring an extensive cleanup that lasted 40 days with over 200 personnel and 45 vessels involved. Under current maritime law, cultural losses from spills like this are not compensated, prompting lobbying efforts to international bodies such as the United Nations Marine Organization.
British Columbia Premier David Eby warns that lifting the tanker ban would be a grave mistake due to significant spill risks and the potential harm to a regional economy heavily reliant on First Nations' support for major projects. Green Party leader Elizabeth May concurs, arguing that oil tankers cannot safely navigate the inner waters between Haida Gwaii and BC’s north coast, citing scientific evidence of the risks.
The region, a major oil producer, is also experiencing rapid warming. Proponents of the pipeline emphasize its role in exporting oil to Asia, while opponents highlight the environmental and cultural costs associated with potential spills in the turbulent northern waters such as Hecate Strait.
