Treaty 8 logo (Image Credit: Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta)

By Nathaniel Leigh

Treaty 8 First Nations

Treaty 8 First Nations set conditions for future pipeline project discussions

Jan 14, 2026 | 1:49 PM

Treaty 8 First Nations Chiefs have released a statement following their meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 14, regarding the proposed Northwest Coast Oil Pipeline.

In their statement, the Chiefs emphasized that for any decisions affecting Treaty 8 Rights, the Treaty 8 Peoples must be involved in all decisions or legislation that affect their land.

During their meeting with representatives of the Alberta government and Minister of Indigenous Relations Rajan Sawhney, the Chiefs made their case for what must happen before the pipeline project advances beyond an exploratory stage:

Treaty 8 Rights Must Be Recognized Upfront

Before this project advances beyond an exploratory stage, the Government of Alberta must commit to a Treaty 8-defined process based on nation-to-nation decision-making. Treaty 8 requirements include:

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• A Treaty 8 First Nation established consultation framework.
• Adequate, upfront funding for independent legal, environmental, economic, and technical advisors selected by Treaty 8 First Nations.
• A commitment that no regulatory, policy, or project filings will proceed until Treaty 8 First  Nations defined milestones are met.

An early and detailed disclosure of the anticipated pipeline route so potential impacts can be understood before any formal consultation begins.

Environmental Stewardship Across Full Project Lifecycle

Environmental protection cannot be deferred to later regulatory stages. Treaty 8 First Nations knowledge and stewardship responsibilities must guide decision-making from the earliest planning stages and continue for the full lifecycle of the proposed Northwest Coast Oil Pipeline. Treaty 8 First Nation requirements include:

• Early and continuous involvement in all regulatory processes.
• Enforceable conditions related to water, land, wildlife, cumulative effects, and climate impacts.
• Long-term monitoring, compliance, and enforcement mechanisms extending beyond project closure.
• Dedicated, multi-year funding to support Treaty 8 First Nation participation.
• Adherence to the principle of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent.
• A Treaty 8 First Nation-led cumulative effects assessment covering historic, current, and future development.
• Remediation of legacy environmental damage, including abandoned and contaminated sites.
• Binding commitments on water protection, spill response, and long-term liability.
• Financially secured reclamation and remediation obligations extending beyond closure.

 Meaningful Employment and Economic Transparency

Treaty 8 First Nation participation must deliver real, measurable benefits for Treaty 8 citizens, not just limited to impact benefit agreements.

Treaty 8 requirements include:

• Mandatory training pathways tied directly to Indigenous employment.
• Enforceable employment targets for Treaty 8 members.
• Indigenous-led procurement that prioritizes Treaty 8 businesses.
• Resource revenue royalty sharing for the full operational life of the project with clear metrics and remedies for non-compliance.
• Formal recognition of the historic and ongoing loss of resource revenues experienced by Treaty 8 First Nations as a result of decades of resource extraction on Treaty 8 lands without revenue sharing, including a commitment to address past economic exclusion as part of any future revenue framework
• Binding, transparent and auditable revenue arrangements protected from corporate restructuring and manipulative financial engineering.

The Treaty 8 First Nations say they remain open to respectful, Rights-based dialogue regarding this matter.