FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Treaty 8 First Nations Set Clear Conditions for Any Future Discussions on Proposed Northwest Coast Oil Pipeline
January 14, 2026 – (Treaty 8 Territory, Alberta) — Treaty 8 First Nations in Alberta met today with the Minister of Indigenous Relations, Hon. Rajan Sawhney, and representatives of the Government of Alberta for a preliminary discussion regarding a proposed Northwest Coast Oil Pipeline.
While we appreciate the Government of Alberta meeting with our leadership, Treaty 8 First Nations emphasizes that our attendance at this meeting does not constitute support, endorsement, or consent for the project, nor should it be interpreted as formal, constitutionally obligated consultation. Today’s meeting was strictly exploratory and limited to open discussion and information-gathering. Alberta’s constitutional and Treaty consultation obligations regarding the Northwest Coast Pipeline remain unmet.
As with any decision affecting Treaty 8 Rights, we expect the Government of Alberta to engage in discussions with our leadership. This expectation extends beyond seeking approval for a specific project. We must be involved in all decisions or legislation that affect our historic lands.
The Treaty 8 Chiefs were clear with the Minister during the meeting, stating what must happen before any proposed pipeline discussion can move forward beyond an exploratory conversation.
Treaty 8 Rights Must Be Recognized Upfront
Before this project advances beyond an exploratory stage, the Government of Alberta must commit to a Treaty 8-defined process based on nation-to-nation decision-making. Treaty 8 requirements include:
- A Treaty 8 First Nation established consultation framework.
- Adequate, upfront funding for independent legal, environmental, economic, and technical advisors selected by Treaty 8 First Nations.
- A commitment that no regulatory, policy, or project filings will proceed until Treaty 8 First Nations defined milestones are met.
- An early and detailed disclosure of the anticipated pipeline route so potential impacts can be understood before any formal consultation begins.
Environmental Stewardship Across Full Project Lifecycle
Environmental protection cannot be deferred to later regulatory stages. Treaty 8 First Nations knowledge and stewardship responsibilities must guide decision-making from the earliest planning stages and continue for the full lifecycle of the proposed Northwest Coast Oil Pipeline. Treaty 8 First Nation
requirements include:
- Early and continuous involvement in all regulatory processes.
- Enforceable conditions related to water, land, wildlife, cumulative effects, and climate impacts.
- Long-term monitoring, compliance, and enforcement mechanisms extending beyond project closure.
- Dedicated, multi-year funding to support Treaty 8 First Nation participation.
- Adherence to the principle of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent.
- A Treaty 8 First Nation-led cumulative effects assessment covering historic, current, and future development.
- Remediation of legacy environmental damage, including abandoned and contaminated sites.
- Binding commitments on water protection, spill response, and long-term liability.
- Financially secured reclamation and remediation obligations extending beyond closure
- Treaty 8 First Nations remain open to dialogue that is respectful, Rights-based, and consistent with the spirit and intent of the Treaty No. 8 that was signed over 125 years ago. Any future engagement must be structured around shared prosperity, environmental responsibility, and long-term benefits for Treaty 8 First Nations.
Meaningful Employment and Economic Transparency
Treaty 8 First Nation participation must deliver real, measurable benefits for Treaty 8 citizens, not just limited to impact benefit agreements. Treaty 8 requirements include:
- Mandatory training pathways tied directly to Indigenous employment.
- Enforceable employment targets for Treaty 8 members.
- Indigenous-led procurement that prioritizes Treaty 8 businesses.
- Resource revenue royalty sharing for the full operational life of the project with clear metrics and remedies for non-compliance.
- Formal recognition of the historic and ongoing loss of resource revenues experienced by Treaty 8 First Nations as a result of decades of resource extraction on Treaty 8 lands without revenue sharing, including a commitment to address past economic exclusion as part of any future revenue framework
- Binding, transparent and auditable revenue arrangements protected from corporate restructuring and manipulative financial engineering.
Treaty 8 First Nations remain open to dialogue that is respectful, Rights-based, and consistent with the spirit and intent of the Treaty No. 8 that was signed over 125 years ago. Any future engagement must be structured around shared prosperity, environmental responsibility, and long-term benefits for Treaty 8 First Nations.
Trevor Mercredi
Grand Chief