The future of a proposed 900-kilometer natural gas pipeline in northern British Columbia hangs in the balance after its environmental assessment certificate expired on Nov. 25.

The Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT) pipeline, owned by the Nisga’a Nation and Western LNG, has faced significant opposition from Indigenous groups and environmental organizations. 

Critics argue that the project's environmental assessment conducted in 2012 is outdated and insufficient, while PRGT contends that it has made a “substantial start” on construction, which would allow the project to proceed under the expired certificate. 

Opponents, including the Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs and the Kispiox Bandhave disputed PRGT’s claim, citing limited progress on the ground.

The British Columbia government must now decide whether to grant the project a permanent environmental assessment certificate or require a new, more rigorous assessment under the 2018 Environmental Assessment Act. 

Although a decision is expected by March 2025, if approved, the project could face legal challenges from Indigenous groups and environmental organizations while a new environmental assessment could delay the project for several years and increase its cost.

The decision will have far-reaching implications for the project, the environment, and the Indigenous communities involved. It will also set a precedent for future projects seeking to rely on the “substantial start” provision.