Energy is at the core of BC business, and to appreciate that, companies and individuals must understand how the province operates, especially in relation to First Nations. Clients in this industry also face the growing threat of climate change and the need to adapt their businesses in response to it.
With our knowledge and experience in natural resources and energy law, we have a firm grasp of these issues and the long-term solutions necessary to help our clients’ businesses succeed.
Work Highlights
Taku River Tlingit First Nation
- Provided the legal advice required to successfully develop an off grid run-of-river hydro project in the midst of the 2008 global financial meltdown
Private-public partnerships
- Legal member of the team that created British Columbia’s first private build partnership to build, own and operate a road and bridge into the Horn River shale fields in northeast BC
Private transmission line
- Advised on the development of the first third-party electrical transmission line in British Columbia that services a major natural gas producer in the Montney Shale Fields
We work to proactively address our clients’ issues in an industry defined by the natural environment and change.
Services
- Private-public partnerships
- Energy project developments, such as:
- Wind farms
- Run-of-river hydroelectric
- Transmission lines
- Wastewater plants
- Maintaining relationships with First Nations
- Maintaining relationships with government
- Permits
- Project finance
- Provincial land tenures including investigative use permits, general licences of occupation, leases, statutory right of ways
- Water licences
- Safety inspections and approvals
- Leaves to commence construction
- Impact benefit agreements with First Nations
- Independent monitoring of First Nations agreements
- Export approvals
Strengthening relationships with First Nations and adapting to the realities of climate change require nimble approaches to changing legal landscapes. Examples of our contributions to this landscape include:
- Developing BC’s first independent power project and first wind farm
- Structuring the first wholly First Nations-owned hydro development in BC
- Establishing the first third-party-owned electrical transmission line in BC
We are at the forefront of energy and natural resource law in BC, and our particular expertise in renewable energy can help all manner of resource companies succeed in this dynamic field.
