B.C. First Nations leaders urge governments to halt proposed West Coast pipeline

Several First Nations leaders in British Columbia are calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to immediately stop efforts to advance a proposed West Coast oil pipeline.

In a letter to Carney and Smith, the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs opposed the project, saying further expansion of the oil industry could contribute to climate change and increase the risks associated with natural disasters.

The First Nations leaders allege that governments have not engaged in meaningful consultation with them. They say the proposed pipeline route and potential investors appear to have been determined before proper consultation took place.

The chiefs are also criticizing the federal government's efforts to designate the project as being in the national interest under the Building Canada Act. They argue that the approach could allow the project to move ahead more quickly while bypassing environmental laws and review processes.

The proposed pipeline would stretch about 1,250 kilometres from Alberta to a port near Delta, B.C. The government is currently seeking public feedback on the proposal, with submissions due by mid-September.