B.C. chief says he’s ‘very concerned’ about bill to fast-track major projects

OTTAWA — The regional chief for British Columbia warns efforts by governments to speed up major projects will only slow them down because they’ll likely be taken to court.

B.C. Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Terry Teegee says he’s “very concerned” about federal and provincial legislation meant to fast-track major projects.

He says the legislation introduced by the federal government last week doesn’t allow for free, prior and informed consent with First Nations, which he calls a violation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The legislation, Bill C-5, has two parts — one to break down internal trade barriers and the other to fast-track major projects — and sets out five criteria to evaluate whether a project is in the “national interest.”

Those criteria include the project’s likelihood of success, whether it would strengthen the country’s resiliency and advance the interests of Indigenous people, and whether it would contribute to economic growth in an environmentally responsible way.

Teegee says First Nations need to be part of the decision-making process if these projects are to avoid conflicts.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2025.

Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press