Pearl Lorentzen
For South Peace News
Many High Prairie area First Nations and Metis Settlement are included in a group of 72 Indigenous communities in Western Canada which are in the process of investing in two pipelines.
The Indigenous communities include First Nations and Métis settlements in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan.
The final list of communities isn’t available, because it hasn’t closed yet. Before the sale is final, each First Nation and Métis settlement council must pass a resolution at a council meeting. If the resolution does not pass, the number of communities in the consortium will decrease.
Sawridge Chief Isaac Twinn was the consortium committee chair in the negotiations.
In a TC Energy July 31 news release, Chief Twinn says, “The consortium committee, tasked with negotiating this transaction, deserves notable credit for significantly improving the terms of this deal. As a result, we anticipate that the Indigenous investors will benefit from this partnership for some years to come.
“We appreciate the efforts of all parties involved. I also give much thanks to the consortium committee for placing their trust in me to serve as their chair,” he adds.
If everything goes to plan, the consortium representing these Indigenous communities will purchase 5.34 per cent of two pipelines NGTL Systems and the Foothills Pipeline, that criss-cross Alberta and dip into southeastern British Columbia and southwestern Saskatchewan.
The news release describes the pipelines as a “25,000-km highly integrated network of natural gas infrastructure assets spanning western Canada.”
The Indigenous communities are near these pipelines.
With the investment, the consortium also receives one seat on TC Energy’s Indigenous Advisory Council (IAC).
The TC Energy news release says the Indigenous Advisory Council was formed in 2021 “to guide the company’s executive leadership team on reconciliation-related initiatives to support resilient Indigenous communities.”
In the news release, Raylene Whitford, chair of the Indigenous Advisory Council says, “Today’s announcement is about advancing economic opportunities for Indigenous participation through equity ownership – something that Indigenous communities have been asking for. The NGTL and Foothills assets have a longstanding presence in our communities – from our relatives who helped construct it, to our youth who are training to operate it.
“This equity partnership agreement represents a significant evolution in TC Energy’s relationship with Indigenous peoples and marks substantial progress on the industry’s broader journey toward advancing reconciliation. We look forward to welcoming a new member to the IAC from this partnership, to bring another important voice to our collective efforts.”
The investment uses money from a $1 billion loan guaranteed by the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation (AIOC), which is run and funded by the Government of Alberta.
In the news release, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says, “In only four years, the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation has truly made an impact for Indigenous communities. This newest agreement builds on earlier successes and shows Canada and the world that energy partnerships with First Nations and Métis peoples are both desired and possible.”