ARC ENERGY IDEAS Canada’s Push to Advance Major Projects
Sep 16, 2025
David Nikolejsin, a strategic advisor at McCarthy Tétrault with vast experience in B.C.'s environmental assessments, shares valuable insights on advancing major projects. He discusses the federal Major Projects Office and emphasizes the need for clear roles between federal and provincial entities. Nikolejsin also explores the evolution of Indigenous rights in B.C. and stresses the importance of collaborative agreements. He argues for a focus on actionable results over bureaucratic processes while acknowledging the challenge of reconciling LNG growth with climate goals.
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BC LNG Secretariat Got Phase 1 Built
- David describes creating the BC LNG Secretariat to move LNG Canada from approval to construction.
- The Secretariat coordinated permits and issues to keep the project on time and budget.
Clear Lanes Prevent Duplicate Work
- Federal and provincial major-project offices must clearly divide responsibilities to avoid duplication.
- Projects judge success, so offices should replicate features that worked for LNG Canada.
Reuse Assessments, Use Substitution
- Do use substitution/equivalency to create one environmental review process when possible.
- Preserve study work across permitting stages to avoid repeating baseline assessments.