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ARTICLE · 16 APRIL 2026

B.C. Amends Environmental Assessment Act: New Dispute Resolution Processes And Limits To U.S. Tribes’ Participation

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On April 16, 2026, the province of British Columbia passed Bill 15, the Environmental Assessment Amendment Act, 2026 (Bill 15), to amend the dispute resolution processes in the Environmental Assessment Act (EA Act).

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On April 16, 2026, the province of British Columbia passed Bill 15, the Environmental Assessment Amendment Act, 2026 (Bill 15), to amend the dispute resolution processes in the Environmental Assessment Act (EA Act). The changes seek to strengthen consensus-seeking in environmental assessments by introducing a new issue resolution protocol and limiting the matters eligible for dispute resolution. Further, Bill 15 limits participation by United States tribes in environmental assessments by prohibiting their inclusion as a “participating Indigenous nation.”

Background

Dispute resolution is a right exercisable by participating Indigenous nations at key decision points in the environmental assessment process with the aim of supporting consensus-seeking between the province and First Nations. Since its introduction in 2022, dispute resolution has been initiated pursuant to the EA Act eleven times in respect of three projects. Both First Nations and proponents have been critical of the

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