Cold Lake First Nations Sues Canada Over Pipeline Fast-Tracking
Cold Lake First Nations filed a judicial review challenging the Canadian government's decision to fast-track the Pacific Link pipeline without proper Indigenous consultation.
The Cold Lake First Nations filed an application for judicial review in Federal Court on October 8, 2026, to challenge the Canadian government's designation of the Pacific Link pipeline as a project in the national interest. The legal action seeks to quash the designation and secure a court declaration requiring the government to consult the community.
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith recently announced that the pipeline, which connects Alberta to British Columbia, would be fast-tracked under the Building Canada Act to begin construction by September 2027. The Cold Lake First Nations, located in the oilsands region, argue that the government breached Canadian law and the honour of the Crown by failing its constitutional duty to consult. The challenge also targets the linked Pathways Project, a carbon capture and storage initiative that the community claims was pre-approved without meaningful engagement.
The Assembly of First Nations identified several red flags regarding the designation, while NDP Member of Parliament Leah Gazan criticized the government's major projects plan as a failure. Chief Kelsey Jacko stated the community was left out of consultations, expressing concern that the project would treat the local environment as a garbage dump.
