Trans Mountain has signed Agreements with 59 Indigenous groups in BC and Alberta that represent more than $500 million in benefits and opportunities for Indigenous communities.

The Agreements are a significant step forward in establishing relationships with a strong foundation for addressing environmental, archeological and cultural heritage concerns, as well as providing employment, training, business opportunities and other community benefits.

“These Agreements demonstrate our ongoing commitment to work through concerns and different views to mutual benefit. We will continue to build on these relationships and work to maintain the trust that enabled the support we have received from Indigenous communities,” says Ian Anderson, President and CEO of Trans Mountain Corporation. “The Agreements are a symbol and recognition of a shared respect and help ensure Indigenous groups are able to harness the economic value of the expansion in a way that creates a lasting legacy for their people.”

The Agreements are worth in excess of $500 million and have led to more than $275 million in procurement contracts having been awarded by the end of February 2020. They facilitate Trans Mountain working together with Indigenous communities on mitigation measures and environmental stewardship responsibilities to ensure the Expansion Project does not impact Indigenous interests, as well as support access to economic opportunities that will arise from the Project.

“We're confident we will build and operate this Project in a way that respects the values and priorities of the communities touched by our activities and reflects the shared value of all Canadians in respect of the environment,” says Anderson.

Agreements

• Over the past eight years, engagement by Trans Mountain has included close to 150 Indigenous communities and groups with interests in the Project or have interests potentially affected by the Project.
• The 59 Agreements include 14 in Alberta and 45 in British Columbia along the pipeline and the marine corridors the Project will impact.
• Trans Mountain has agreements with all the Indigenous communities whose Reserve lands we intend to cross with the Project.

Benefits

The Agreements are a result of ongoing engagement and negotiations between individual Indigenous group and Trans Mountain. While each reflect the unique circumstances of the community involved, there are some common elements in the Agreements. These elements can include provisions relating to environmental protection, cultural and archeological monitoring, as well as opportunities to share in the prosperity of development within their territories.

The Agreements confirm Trans Mountain’s commitment to provide direct benefits through employment, training and business opportunities, as well as supporting needed upgrades to community infrastructure, among other benefits.

Trans Mountain is working to identify Indigenous, regional and local capacity, and our primary objective is to maximize economic opportunities that will arise from the Project. We’ve created an Indigenous Procurement Policy, Training Policy and Employment Policy, and will work in partnership with Indigenous communities and our construction contractors to achieve our commitments.

About the Agreements and Confidentiality

Dozens of Indigenous groups along the pipeline corridor have chosen to enter into an Agreement with Trans Mountain. These Agreements are all unique and contractually confidential, but in general, they set out a framework for an Indigenous group and Trans Mountain to work cooperatively to reduce risk and maximize benefits in relation to the Expansion Project.