CONCERNS AND OPPOSITION ECHO THROUGHOUT B.C. FIRST NATIONS ON THE PRGT PIPELINE
At the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) 56th Annual General Assembly in September 2024, First Nations across British Columbia – including the Gitanyow, Nisga’a, Ts’msyen, Wet’suwet’en, and Gitksan – stood united in their opposition to the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT) pipeline.
The BC Energy Regulator’s (BCER) decision to advance the PRGT without adequately addressing the cumulative environmental impacts or meaningfully consulting frontline Indigenous communities has sparked widespread outrage.
The construction of this 800-kilometre pipeline, intended to ship liquefied natural gas (LNG) across northern BC, began in late August 2024 despite clear opposition and unresolved legal, environmental, and ethical issues.
PRGT will cross over 1,000 waterways, including salmon-bearing rivers critical to Indigenous nations’ ecosystems and food security. The pipeline’s approval stands in stark violation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which Canada and British Columbia have committed to upholding.
The BCER’s decision to advance the pipeline going against their own rules—without addressing the cumulative environmental impacts or consulting the Indigenous peoples whose territories will be affected—constitutes a blatant violation of both the legal standards enshrined in UNDRIP and the ethical responsibilities that the provincial government should uphold.
The UBCIC Chiefs-in-Assembly passed a resolution condemning the PRGT pipeline and calling on the BC government to terminate the project’s outdated 2014 Environmental Assessment Certificate immediately. The resolution also urged the suspension of all construction activities and the need for a transparent, inclusive process that respects Indigenous jurisdiction.
Since August 22, the Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs have taken direct action by blocking LNG transport from accessing our territories, emphasizing our determination to safeguard our Lax’yip from destructive industrial projects, disregarding our rights and environmental stewardship responsibilities.
Gitksan youth have also voiced solidarity against the pipeline, emphasizing the urgent need to prevent further harm to their ancestral lands facing increased vulnerability due to climate change.
The message from the UBCIC Assembly is clear: the PRGT pipeline is not only a threat to the lands and waters of Indigenous nations but also to BC’s ability to meet its climate commitments. The time to act is now, and Indigenous voices must be at the forefront of any decisions impacting our territories and the future of our planet.
Simogyet Malii/Glen Williams
President of the Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs