Ottawa: Federal and provincial Ministers, the Honourable Catherine McKenna, the Honourable John Rustad, the Honourable Mary Polak, with Mayor John Helin of the Lax Kw'alaams Band and Harold Leighton, Chief Councillor of the Metlakatla First Nation, announced an Agreement on Environmental Monitoring of the proposed Pacific NorthWest LNG Project January 31.
The agreement is the first of its kind between the Government of Canada, the Government of British Columbia, the Lax Kw'alaams Band and the Metlakatla First Nation. Through it, First Nations will work directly with provincial and federal authorities as part of a committee to ensure the Pacific NorthWest LNG Project is developed in the most environmentally sustainable way possible.
The committee is the product of input and feedback from Indigenous peoples regarding their desire to play an active role in monitoring the project on an ongoing basis. It was described as “an example of the successful application of the Interim Approach and Principles for environmental assessments, which include a commitment to restoring robust oversight and meaningful consultations and engagement with Indigenous peoples.”
The agreement sets out the principles, structure, and roles and responsibilities of an Environmental Monitoring Committee for the Pacific NorthWest LNG Project in British Columbia.
The Pacific NorthWest LNG Project received federal environmental assessment approval in September 2016, subject to over 190 legally-binding conditions to be fulfilled by the proponent throughout the life of the project. The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency and the BC Environmental Assessment Office remain responsible for ensuring ongoing compliance with their respective legally-binding conditions for the project.