Prime Minister Mark Carney to meet Coastal First Nations in northern B.C. ahead of China trip

Mark Carney will travel to northern British Columbia this week to meet with Coastal First Nations before departing on an overseas trip that includes China, Qatar and Switzerland, according to a senior government source.

The prime minister is scheduled to stop in Prince Rupert on Tuesday, where discussions are expected to focus on major projects in the region and how governments and Indigenous communities can work together to ensure development is carried out sustainably and in partnership.

The source said the federal government intends to emphasize shared priorities such as marine conservation, ocean protection and expanding Indigenous leadership in environmental stewardship and economic development.

Carney is set to depart later Monday on an eight-day international trip that will include trade talks in China and attendance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Joining Carney in northern B.C. will be Tim Hodgson, Gregor Robertson, and Wade Grant.

Prince Rupert lies near the proposed Ksi Lisims LNG facility, one of several projects the federal government has identified for accelerated regulatory review. The liquefied natural gas project, developed in partnership with the Nisga'a Nation, would export up to 12 million tonnes of LNG annually, largely to Asian markets.

While the project has received support from both federal and provincial governments, it has also faced legal challenges from other First Nations in the region.

Coastal First Nations — an alliance representing nine First Nations along B.C.’s north and central coast — have long opposed proposals for an oil pipeline to the region. Their opposition extends to provisions in a memorandum of understanding signed last year between Ottawa and Danielle Smith, which outlines a potential path toward lifting the federal oil tanker ban on B.C.’s north coast.

Leaders within Coastal First Nations have repeatedly stated that any pipeline project to the north coast will not proceed without their consent, signalling that resource development and Indigenous governance will remain central issues during Carney’s visit.