Coastal GasLink pipeline

The Coastal GasLink pipeline is a <a href="/facts/TC_Energy/GIhzLvoc">TC Energy</a> <a href="/facts/Natural_gas/9MYQ7NAP">natural gas</a> <a href="/facts/Pipeline_transport/gEmKcFhD">pipeline</a> under construction in <a href="/facts/British_Columbia/Ty3e3g1Q">British Columbia</a>, Canada. Starting in <a href="/facts/Dawson_Creek/qp6uhpx1">Dawson Creek</a>, the pipeline's route crosses through the <a href="/facts/Canadian_Rockies/4p0aSohw">Canadian Rockies</a> and other mountain ranges to <a href="/facts/Kitimat/Bus5PKcT">Kitimat</a>, where the gas will be exported to Asian customers. Its route passes through several <a href="/facts/First_Nations_in_Canada/ccqhx22M">First Nations</a> peoples' traditional lands, including some that are <a href="/facts/Aboriginal_title/2Iz0nTg1">unceded</a>. Controversy around the project has highlighted divisions within the leadership structure of impacted First Nations: elected band councils support the project, but traditional hereditary chiefs of the <a href="/facts/Wet%CA%BCsuwet%CA%BCen/DrSc9BBy">Wetʼsuwetʼen</a> people oppose the project on ecological grounds and organized blockades to obstruct construction on their traditional land. Wetʼsuwetʼen people opposed to the pipeline argue that they have a relationship with the land that the Coastal GasLink pipeline construction threatens. 
A court injunction against protesters blocking the project in an effort to defend their unceded land was granted twice by the <a href="/facts/BC_Supreme_Court/NNhq7StS">BC Supreme Court</a>, in 2018 and 2019. In 2019 and 2020, the <a href="/facts/Royal_Canadian_Mounted_Police/yUUrtrGr">Royal Canadian Mounted Police</a> (RCMP) entered the blocked area and cleared road access for construction using the threat of lethal force, arresting several of the protesters. The 2020 arrests sparked <a href="/facts/2020_Canadian_pipeline_and_railway_protests/U4528gu5">widespread protests across Canada</a> in solidarity with the original protests. Protests targeted government offices, ports and rail lines. A protest in February 2020 by the <a href="/facts/Mohawk_people/2rwuLU5P">Mohawk First Nation</a> people of <a href="/facts/Tyendinaga_Mohawk_Territory/du9cP0re">Tyendinaga</a> in <a href="/facts/Ontario/HUkxk5Rf">Ontario</a> blocked a critical segment of rail, causing <a href="/facts/Via_Rail/A5P7UbeR">Via Rail</a> to shut down much of its passenger rail network and <a href="/facts/Canadian_National_Railway/1H2zVJCu">Canadian National Railway</a> (CNR) to shut down freight service in eastern Canada for several weeks.
Coastal GasLink (CGL) resumed construction after the RCMP cleared Wetʼsuwetʼen from the access road; however, the pipeline project is still opposed by the Wetʼsuwetʼen hereditary chiefs. The Wetʼsuwetʼen asked CGL to halt construction due to the <a href="/facts/COVID-19_pandemic/0xTsh7Ut">COVID-19 pandemic</a>, over concerns about spreading the disease. Construction has largely continued, though several stop-work orders were issued by the provincial government in June 2020 following an environmental assessment. The Wetʼsuwetʼen also had concerns about the threats of violence that Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people face resulting from man camps along the pipeline construction path. The Wetʼsuwetʼen filed for judicial review on the CGL’s request for a pipeline environmental permit extension on the grounds that CGL had over 50 non-compliance orders and due to the findings of Canada’s National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
When CGL attempted to drill under the <a href="/facts/Morice_River/yGn6gsu4">Morice River</a>, further <a href="/facts/Environmental_conflict/goRWfTLl">conflict</a> erupted as Wet'suwet'en defenders erected blockades and destroyed construction equipment. These blockades were removed in November 2021. By September 2022, CGL had equipment in place to drill under the river; the company said they had completed eight of ten river crossings required for the project and were nearing 70% completion at that time. In May 2023, CGL completed all ten river crossings, including micro-tunnelling under the Morice River south of Houston.
In March 2022, CGL signed agreements with 20 elected First Nation band councils supporting the project, including 17 signing on to purchase equity in the project. However, Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs state that the band councils are political entities created by the federal government, and thus do not have authority over land beyond reserve boundaries.

Coastal GasLink pipeline open-in-new

Coastal GasLink pipeline