The Heiltsuk Nation has been granted intervenor status at National Energy Board hearings into the proposed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.
The Heiltsuk say Canada’s rosy portrayal of the Oceans Protection Plan bears little resemblance to their experiences in the real world, and they plan outline those concerns and what they say is a lack of meaningful engagement by Canada at the hearings.
The Heiltsuk says the grounding and oil spill of the Nathan E. Stewart in their territory showed the ineffectiveness of Canada’s current spill response regime.
The National Energy Board is holding another round of hearings after a court ruling found the original assessment didn’t adequately consult with First Nations or consider the impact of tanker traffic on the marine environment.
