Kitselas First Nation And British Columbia Reach Environmental Assessment Agreement

On April 20, 2023, the Kitselas First Nation (Kitselas) and the Province of British Columbia entered into an Environment Assessment Agreement.

The agreement is the second of its kind signed under s. 41 of the Environmental Assessment Act, S.B.C. 2018, c. 15. The agreement creates unique processes for Kitselas to participate in environmental assessments for projects that are proposed in the traditional territory of the Kitselas, which stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the Skeen River Valley. The agreement also applies where there is a reasonable possibility that a project may impact Kitselas interests.

One of the purposes of the agreement is to establish a government-to-government framework that describes how the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) and Kitselas will collaborate on environmental assessment processes. The agreement contemplates the Province seeking consent from Kitselas in the review of major projects, in a manner that is consistent with the