Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to visit northern British Columbia to meet with Coastal First Nations before embarking on his trip to China, as confirmed by a government official speaking to CBC News on the condition of anonymity. The meeting is expected to address various topics, including ongoing major projects in the region and strategies for sustainable and collaborative development between the federal government and Indigenous communities.
Carney is scheduled to depart on Tuesday after meeting with Coastal First Nations, with a focus on shared priorities such as marine conservation, ocean protection, and empowering Indigenous communities to take the lead in these initiatives. Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson, Housing Minister Gregor Robertson, and B.C. Liberal MP Wade Grant will accompany the Prime Minister on this visit.
Following his meeting with Coastal First Nations, Carney will commence an eight-day journey that includes visits to China, Qatar, and Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum.
Notably, Prince Rupert is in proximity to the proposed Ksi Lisims liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility in northern British Columbia, a key project earmarked by the federal government for expedited permitting and approval processes. The facility, also a priority for the B.C. government, aims to export 12 million tonnes of LNG annually to Asian markets. While the project involves the Nisga’a Nation as a development partner, it is encountering legal challenges from other First Nations in the area.
Coastal First Nations, comprising nine regional First Nations, have strongly voiced their opposition to a potential oil pipeline extending to the North Coast of British Columbia. Despite a memorandum of understanding signed between Ottawa and Alberta last year, outlining a potential pathway for the pipeline and the removal of an oil tanker ban along British Columbia’s North Coast, Coastal First Nations remain adamant that the project will not proceed.