‘Important for striking the balance’: Blueberry River First Nations approves new exemptions for energy company’s projects on its land

Blueberry River First Nations (BRFN) has announced new exemptions for an  energy company’s projects on its territorial land.

The six development permit applications, which will ultimately be decided by the BC Energy Regulator (BCER), are part of Petronas’ 2025 operations in the North Montney region within the controversial Gundy development area.

As part of the implementation agreement signed in 2023, BRFN reviews BCER permit referrals and can consider exceptions for new disturbance caps on its land.

BRFN councillor Wayne Yahey said the decision to allow exemptions was “not an easy discussion.”

“The Gundy is an important area for the practice of Blueberry members’ treaty rights,” said Yahey. “[The] new disturbance caps [that are] key elements of the implementation agreement are a critical mechanism to protect the land from the cumulative effects of industrial activity,

“[Council] concluded that it was important for striking the balance we all seek between economic development and protection of our traditional way of life.”

According to a news release on Thursday, March 20th from BRFN, Petronas initially sought exemptions for eight permits related to its operations in North Montney for 2025.

BRFN by-laws state an exemption request for disturbance caps be made to its lands department, which prepares a report from the relevant information, but the final decision is made by council.

The release reads that despite this new exemption, the council continues to contest the Gundy plan signed by then-Chief Judy Desjarlais as it “removed new disturbance caps for [the] critical cultural area” leaving the area “vulnerable to potentially unlimited” oil and gas development.

Desjarlais said when the agreement was signed that the deal showed BRFN showed “responsible resource development has always been the vision to sustain our Nations while we carry on the legacy of our ancestors.”

Council acknowledges it will “stand behind important protections” for the BRFN’s treaty rights under the implementation agreement.

BRFN says that of the 1,779 applications in northeast B.C. moved to approval by the BCER between the agreement in 2023 and 2025, 1,238 permits – or nearly 70 per cent – were in BRFN’s claims area, with council only opposing 14 of those.

Of the 14, only one was not approved by the BCER, it says.

BRFN council was contacted by Energeticcity.ca and more information will be added to this story should it become available.

More details about the agreement can be seen on the press release below: