Coastal GasLink pipeline

Coastal GasLink pipeline

Company type	Pipeline project
Industry	Energy, Natural gas
Founded	2012 (2012)
Founder	TC Energy (operator)
Headquarters	British Columbia , Canada
Area served	British Columbia, Canada; export to Asian markets
Key people	David Pfeiffer (president of Coastal GasLink)
Products	Natural gas transportation
Owner	TC Energy (operator), AIMCo and KKR (65% ownership since 2020)
Parent	TC Energy

The Coastal GasLink pipeline is a natural gas conduit operated by TC Energy in British Columbia, Canada, which commenced commercial operations in November 2024. Originating near Dawson Creek, the pipeline extends roughly 670 kilometers through the Canadian Rockies to the coastal town of Kitimat, where the gas is processed for export to Asian markets. Its path traverses the traditional territories of multiple First Nations, including areas recognized as unceded lands. While elected band councils have expressed support for the initiative, the traditional hereditary leaders of the Wetʼsuwetʼen Nation oppose the project on environmental grounds and have organized blockades that delayed construction activities. The Wetʼsuwetʼen emphasize their deep-rooted connection to the land, which they believe is endangered by the pipeline’s presence.

Legal disputes arose during the project’s progression, with injunctions issued by the BC Supreme Court against protesters in 2018 and 2019. Between 2019 and 2020, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) intervened to dismantle blockades using force, resulting in arrests and sparking solidarity demonstrations across Canada. These protests notably disrupted rail and freight operations, including significant actions led by the Mohawk First Nation from Tyendinaga.

Following RCMP enforcement, construction of Coastal GasLink recommenced; however, opposition from Wetʼsuwetʼen hereditary chiefs persisted. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these chiefs requested a halt to construction over public health concerns, but work largely continued despite provincial stop-work directives issued in 2020 concerning environmental assessment compliance. Additional worries were expressed about social repercussions caused by man camps along the route, particularly threats posed to Indigenous women and two-spirit individuals. The Wetʼsuwetʼen sought judicial review regarding an extension of the pipeline’s environmental permit, citing over fifty non-compliance orders and findings from Canada’s National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

Tensions escalated when Coastal GasLink attempted drilling beneath the Morice River, prompting Wet'suwet'en defenders to erect blockades and damage equipment; these obstacles were cleared in November 2021. By September 2022, eight out of ten river crossings had been finalized, with overall project completion nearing 70 percent. All ten river crossings—including micro-tunneling under the Morice River near Houston—were concluded by May 2023.

In March 2022, Coastal GasLink formalized agreements with twenty elected First Nation band councils endorsing the project; seventeen of these councils also committed to acquiring equity shares. Nonetheless, Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs maintain that these band councils possess authority limited to reserve lands only, as they are federal political entities without jurisdiction over traditional territories.

Project description

The pipeline originates near Dawson Creek and proceeds approximately southwest toward a liquefaction facility near Kitimat. It passes through traditional lands of various Indigenous groups, including the Wet'suwet'en Nation. The transported natural gas is converted into liquefied natural gas at the LNG Canada plant in Kitimat for export primarily to Asian markets seeking alternatives to coal-based energy sources.

Initial estimates placed construction costs at approximately billion dollars. The project is owned and managed by TC Energy, which LNG Canada selected in 2012 to design, construct, and own the pipeline. In December 2019, investment entities AIMCo and private equity firm KKR agreed to purchase a 65% ownership interest for roughly . This transaction was finalized in May 2020, with construction progressing by August of that year. By July 2022, about seventy percent of pipeline installation was complete, with total expenditures reaching CA$11.2 billion.

The pipeline’s installation was fully completed by October 2023.

Controversy

The initiative has encountered resistance from the Wetʼsuwetʼen hereditary chiefs, certain other Indigenous groups, and environmental advocates.

Hereditary chiefs assert their governance over the ancestral Wetʼsuwetʼen lands, contending that elected band councils, created under the Indian Act, possess jurisdiction solely over reserve areas. The Wet’suwet’en traditionally operate under a dual leadership system; although elected councils consented to the CGL pipeline, hereditary chiefs opposed it, maintaining that their territory was never surrendered to Canada and that not all Wet'suwet'en fall under elected leadership.

According to hereditary chiefs, approximately 22,000 km² of Wetʼsuwetʼen territory remains unceded. This was affirmed by the Supreme Court of Canada in the 1997 Delgamuukw v British Columbia ruling, which recognized Aboriginal title and pre-colonial governance structures.

Freda Huson, a hereditary chief and coordinator of the Unist'ot'en Camp protest and healing centre, underscored the profound link between land and identity. Environmental concerns include threats such as water pollution, chemical spills, greenhouse gas emissions, and wider climate change effects—issues that disproportionately impact Indigenous populations.

Chief Na'Moks drew attention to the destruction of ecological and cultural heritage sites caused by the project. Academic Kerstin Reibold highlighted opposition stemming from the pipeline’s interference with culturally vital locations essential to community survival.

From an environmental perspective, the CGL pipeline is projected to raise British Columbia’s carbon emissions by 8 to 9 megatons, hindering provincial climate objectives. The natural gas-related emissions corresponded to 13% of Canada’s daily greenhouse gases in 2017. Attempts to initiate federal legal reviews were dismissed as jurisdiction was determined to fall under British Columbia's Oil and Gas Commission. Construction activities near waterways threaten fish habitats; for instance, untouched salmon spawning grounds face disruption from operations like blasting.

The project has been issued more than 50 environmental non-compliance notices, including incidents of pollution discharged into Fraser Lake—a crucial habitat for endangered species and home to roughly 1,000 inhabitants. The pipeline traverses 625 streams and wetlands containing fish; repeated failures to safeguard these ecosystems violate its environmental assessment certificate.

Certain Indigenous communities have expressed support for the pipeline. The First Nations Liquefied Natural Gas Alliance criticized human rights officials for failing to consult Indigenous groups favoring the project before advocating construction stoppages. The Haisla Nation, which entered into an agreement allowing pipeline transit through its territory, emphasized First Nations’ involvement and benefits. Elected Wet’suwet’en representatives also backed benefit agreements. In Houston, British Columbia, residents supporting the pipeline highlighted its economic advantages while condemning protests that disrupted infrastructure.

This dispute exposed divisions within both Wetʼsuwetʼen and Mohawk Nations: hereditary chiefs opposed the development while elected councils supported it. The Tyendinaga Mohawks’ railway blockade lacked formal band council coordination, whereas the Haudenosaunee Confederacy denounced police interventions. Some Mohawk leaders urged ending blockades as a conciliatory act but encountered internal dissent.

Analysts argue this conflict highlights the necessity for legislative mechanisms that harmonize authority between elected councils mandated by the Indian Act and traditional hereditary governance systems.

Consultations

Between 2012 and 2014, discussions with local band councils took place throughout the planning and environmental assessment phases. In the aftermath of the 1997 Delgamuukw v British Columbia decision involving the Gitxsan and Wetʼsuwetʼen peoples, thorough consultations with hereditary chiefs became a legal requirement for significant projects on traditional territories. The Office of the Wetʼsuwetʼen suggested alternative pipeline routes that would traverse previously impacted areas; however, Coastal GasLink declined these alternatives on August 21, 2014, citing concerns about pipeline diameter compatibility, closeness to urban settlements, and the need for additional consultations with four more First Nations. Coastal GasLink’s president, David Pfeiffer, affirmed on January 27 that the selected route was the most feasible from a technical standpoint and minimized environmental disturbance. On February 14, 2020, Coastal GasLink revealed a 2014 alternate route proposal (Morice River North Alternate) which hereditary chiefs did not respond to. The company reported conducting over 120 meetings and more than 1,300 communications with hereditary chiefs from 2012 through 2019 but was unable to secure agreement on the pipeline’s routing.

Approval process

The project gained approval from twenty elected First Nation band councils—including the Wetʼsuwetʼen elected band council—as well as from the Government of British Columbia.

As part of their commitments, TC Energy pledged CAD 620 million worth of contract work directed to northern B.C. First Nations.

The BC Environmental Assessment Office granted project approval in 2014. Coastal GasLink then submitted construction permit applications to the BC Oil and Gas Commission (BCOGC) during 2014 and secured all required permits between 2015 and 2016.

Protests

Opposition began primarily with Wetʼsuwetʼen hereditary chiefs—including eight out of nine sitting house chiefs—who resisted the project by blocking access to pipeline construction camps within Wetʼsuwetʼen territory. These land defenders, often Indigenous individuals opposing resource extraction initiatives, were supported by allies such as legal professionals and journalists. Public policy analyst Philippe Le Billon highlighted their essential role in confronting environmental challenges and addressing power imbalances related to land use.

On January 7, 2019, following a BC Supreme Court injunction obtained by Coastal GasLink (CGL), the RCMP dismantled blockades and arrested several Wetʼsuwetʼen land defenders. Although an access agreement was reached on January 10, blockades were subsequently re-established. After additional RCMP enforcement actions and arrests in February 2020, solidarity demonstrations emerged nationwide, many obstructing rail lines and causing disruptions to freight and passenger services, leading to rationing of goods and port closures.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, pipeline construction was classified as essential work, raising health concerns within Wetʼsuwetʼen communities about potential virus transmission from incoming workers. Indigenous groups repeatedly called for shutting down construction camps.

Wetʼsuwetʼen protesters blocked the Morice Forest Service Road—a vital access point for pipeline construction. The BC Supreme Court issued an injunction in December 2018 that was extended in December 2019 to permit RCMP enforcement actions. Hereditary chiefs demanded removal of RCMP officers and Coastal GasLink personnel from their territory.

On January 30, 2020, RCMP agreed to withdraw temporarily while negotiations between hereditary chiefs and provincial representatives took place; however, talks collapsed by February 4. On February 3, the Wetʼsuwetʼen Office sought a judicial review of the pipeline’s environmental approval.

Starting February 6, RCMP enforced the injunction by arresting protesters at camps along the pipeline route; by February 9, twenty-one individuals had been detained. The largest encampment, Unistʼotʼen Camp—founded in 2010 as both a checkpoint and healing centre—was breached during these operations. Key organizers such as Karla Tait, Freda Huson, and Brenda Michell were among those arrested but released within two days. Journalists covering these raids faced detentions and interference; notably Amber Bracken and Michael Toledano were arrested, raising significant concerns regarding press freedom.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs condemned these actions as violations of Indigenous title and self-governance rights.

By February 11, RCMP declared that they had cleared the road; subsequently, TC Energy announced plans to resume work. However, on February 21, the BC Environmental Assessment Office ordered Coastal GasLink to suspend construction on a blocked section pending negotiations with Wetʼsuwetʼen leaders. Following this directive aimed at facilitating dialogue, RCMP closed their local detachment on February 22.

Solidarity protests spread across Canada: on February 11 demonstrators surrounded BC Parliament Buildings in Victoria disrupting official ceremonies and necessitating police assistance for legislators. Additional protests took place in Nelson, Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Sherbrooke, and Halifax.

Railway blockades targeted key CN lines near Belleville by Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte beginning February 6 onward—disrupting Via Rail services vital to eastern Canada’s rail network. Other demonstrations obstructed Via Rail's Prince Rupert and Prince George routes on CN tracks as well as GO train lines within Toronto’s Greater Area; Canadian Pacific Railway lines experienced disruptions near Toronto and Montreal. On February 10 members of Listuguj Miꞌgmaq First Nation blockaded freight rail operated by Société de chemin de fer de la Gaspésie. These widespread blockades compelled Via Rail and CN to suspend most services through February; regular operations resumed by early March.

Subsequent governmental discussions culminated in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) involving Canada, British Columbia, and nine Wetʼsuwetʼen house chiefs recognizing rights and title under Wetʼsuwetʼen governance across approximately 22,000 square kilometres of traditional lands. Clan Chief Na'Moks characterized this agreement as fulfilling elders’ aspirations. Nevertheless, this MOU did not resolve issues related to pipeline construction or opposition efforts; both continued thereafter.

2021

Despite an extension granted for its environmental certificate, construction of the Coastal GasLink (CGL) project pressed forward throughout 2021, facing persistent opposition from land defenders engaging in direct action tactics.

In September, authorities arrested at least two individuals after land defenders obstructed operations by locking themselves to equipment at a drill site near the Morice River, where CGL teams were preparing for drilling activities.

October saw land defenders take control of a CGL excavator and remove workers from Wetʼsuwetʼen territory.

On November 13, members of the Gidimt'en clan expelled workers from their lands; when resistance occurred, defenders commandeered an excavator, damaged an access road, and blocked a bridge using a minivan. The defenders condemned the RCMP for previous incidents of police violence.

2022

On February 17, a group of twenty masked individuals wielding axes attacked a work site near Houston, British Columbia, causing nine people to flee and resulting in injuries to responding RCMP officers. MLA Ellis Ross reported that workers were trapped inside a truck targeted by the assailants.

Work camps

Temporary accommodations known as work camps—primarily housing male laborers involved in resource extraction projects—supported Coastal GasLink’s construction efforts through 14 camps, each accommodating between 500 and 800 workers. These camps have been associated with heightened violence against Indigenous women and girls.

When Coastal GasLink applied for an extension of the project, Wetʼsuwetʼen legal representatives contested it on grounds that it failed to adequately consider findings from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). The Inquiry identified a correlation between resource industry camps and increased occurrences of violence such as drug-related offenses, sexual assaults, and domestic abuse within nearby communities.

The British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office (BCEAO) approved the pipeline extension without fully addressing the significant adverse effects that the 14 work camps impose on Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit individuals. Sociologist Jasmine Tordimah pointed out that the anonymity of incoming workers creates conditions conducive to crimes against Indigenous women. The MMIWG Inquiry underscored the critical importance of centering Indigenous women's safety throughout all phases of project development.

Non-compliance orders

By August 2020, Coastal GasLink (CGL) had received multiple non-compliance orders disrupting construction along its route. Work initiated in 2019 proceeded without informing trapline hunters near Houston. In early 2020, Indigenous groups reported damage to wetlands, prompting BC’s Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) to determine that CGL violated its wetland management plan in 42 locations. On June 16, non-compliance orders were issued for wetland destruction and insufficient protection of endangered whitebark pine; further orders followed on June 22 for clearing wetlands without conducting proper environmental assessments. Construction activities near wetlands were suspended until compliance was achieved. Additional enforcement addressed turbid water discharges into Fraser Lake.

CGL was found to have breached environmental certificate conditions over fifty times, including restricting trapline access and mishandling camp waste disposal. Since construction commenced in 2019, the project has accumulated fines exceeding $240,000 due to repeated environmental infractions, including a $346,000 penalty related to erosion control failures and falsification of inspection documentation. Compliance breaches were also revealed through the company’s self-reporting mechanisms.

Supreme Court dispute over environmental certificate

On October 1, 2020, the BC Supreme Court commenced hearings regarding a challenge filed by the Office of the Wet'suwet'en contesting the EAO’s decision to grant a five-year extension for CGL’s environmental certificate. The extension was sought by CGL after it failed to initiate significant construction activities within the original permit timeframe. The Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs opposed this extension, citing more than 50 recorded instances of non-compliance and raising concerns highlighted by Canada’s National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women about a rise in violence associated with the project.

Legal representatives contended that the EAO neglected to adequately evaluate emerging risks, especially those affecting Indigenous women and girls due to the presence of worker camps (often referred to as "man camps"). Rather than enforcing mandatory conditions, the EAO depended on CGL’s voluntary pledges to mitigate these issues going forward.

Additionally, Wet'suwet'en legal counsel argued that the EAO insufficiently accounted for the National Inquiry report’s conclusions and overlooked CGL’s prior record of non-compliance. Conversely, the EAO asserted that there were no grounds to subject their decision to judicial review.

In April 2021, the BC Supreme Court dismissed the Wet'suwet'en challenge and upheld the extension of CGL’s environmental certificate.

See also

• Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines
• Trans Mountain Pipeline
• Tsilhqotʼin Nation v British Columbia