COAST SALISH TERRITORY, VANCOUVER, BC (Sept. 18, 2025) – K̓áwáziɫ Marilyn Slett, President of Coastal First Nations-Great Bear Initiative, issued the following statement today in support of comments made by Premier David Eby about the prospect of building a pipeline and oil tankers project in First Nations territory, through the Great Bear Sea, on the North Coast of BC.
“We affirm Premier David Eby’s assessment about the prospects of a pipeline and oil tankers project through the Great Bear Sea.
“Coastal First Nations’ stance on oil pipelines and tankers has not changed: any project that proposes to send crude oil through our coastal waters is a non-starter. We affirm the Premier’s observations, which should serve as a reality check for any company even considering such a project:
- There is no support from Coastal First Nations for a pipeline and oil tankers project. We, along with the federal government, have banned oil tankers from our coastal waters, and we remain committed to ensuring the oil tanker moratorium stays in place to protect our coastal waters, for all Canadians.
- No one has talked to us about a proposed project, and there is no proponent or project that would be acceptable to us that would bring oil tankers into our coastal waters.
“Continually raising the spectre of oil tankers, and the risk of a catastrophic oil spill in BC’s coastal waters and our salmon-bearing rivers, risks squandering the tentative goodwill and support of First Nations for more suitable projects.
“We agree with Premier David Eby that this pipeline does not exist in any meaningful way, and that nation-building efforts should focus on projects that have the strong support of First Nations, reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, encourage economic resiliency and diversification, and benefit all our communities.”
– K̓áwáziɫ Marilyn Slett, President of Coastal First Nations-Great Bear Initiative and Chief Councillor of the Heiltsuk Nation, is available for interviews.
About Coastal First Nations
Over the past 25 years, Coastal First Nations have built one of the most innovative and progressive models of sustainable economic development in the world. We have combined the conservation and protection of our resources with community-led job creation and built up our most important industries such as our fisheries, tourism, and recreation, resulting in over 1400 new jobs and 130 businesses along the Central and North Coast.
Media Contact:
Caitlin Thompson
Director of Communications,
Coastal First Nations-Great Bear Initiative
Cell: 250-305-8756
