Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is considering lifting a 53-year-old tanker ban to facilitate a pipeline project that would transport bitumen from Alberta to the British Columbia coast for export to Asia. The move has reignited concerns among First Nations communities, who recall the devastating 2016 Nathan E Stewart spill.
The Nathan E Stewart, an American tugboat, grounded on a reef near Seaforth Channel in October 2016, spilling 110,000 litres of diesel. Marilynn Slett, chief councillor of the Heiltsuk Nation, described the distress calls from elders who were 'crying and very upset,' comparing the loss to that of a community member. The spill contaminated traditional harvesting sites, causing ongoing economic losses.
Carney has pledged to help Alberta with a pipeline capable of moving at least one million barrels of oil per day to Asian markets. His government could use new legislative powers to cut permitting delays and may lift the moratorium on tanker traffic along the north coast of British Columbia, formalized into law in 2019.
Critics highlight the dangers of shipping oil through the region's treacherous waters. Rick Steiner, a responder to the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster, called the plan 'spectacularly dangerous.' The Hecate Strait, which tankers would likely traverse, is described as a 'malevolent weather factory' prone to violent storms.
Coastal First Nations, representing nine nations, have declared the project 'would never happen' and insist the tanker ban is non-negotiable. Chiefs from over 600 First Nations voted unanimously to uphold the ban. Green Party leader Elizabeth May stated there is 'no chance on God's green Earth' that an oil tanker will move through those waters, warning that governments cannot ignore science.
Even small spills have long-term consequences. The Nathan E Stewart grounding led to the closure of traditional harvesting sites and allowed invasive species like the European green crab to thrive. Heiltsuk hereditary chief λáλíyasila Frank Brown said his community is open to industrial development but only for projects where risks can be safely managed.
