ARCHIVED - Public Engagement

Public Engagement

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We recognize that we have a very public role to play.  We must become better at listening to and engaging with the public. If we do not, we run the risk of becoming disconnected from the people we ultimately serve – those citizens who count on us to make sound decisions and ensure public safety and environmental protection.

Building Relationships

Indigenous peoples have a long relationship and connection with the land, water, and resources that could be affected by a project regulated by the National Energy Board. We are committed to strengthening these relationships through improved processes like enhanced engagement and more effectively hearing oral traditional evidence. The NEB also made a recommendation that it set up Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committees (IAMCs). Since then, the NEB has been working with the federal major projects office and Indigenous communities to set up two, project-specific IAMCs (Line 3 and the Trans Mountain Expansion Project). We believe the IAMCs will provide meaningful opportunities for Indigenous peoples to participate in monitoring the activities that occur along pipeline corridors. The committees allow Indigenous groups to play an active role in pipeline construction and operations. This includes things like participating in NEB pipeline inspections, emergency management activities and providing input on regulatory standards and policies.

Find out more about how the Board is working to improve how we learn from the knowledge and wisdom of our Indigenous partners.

Landowner Engagement

Strong relationships with Canadians who own land affected by pipelines are critical. Building and maintaining these relationships is the responsibility of the NEB and the companies who operate pipelines on their land, as well as the landowners themselves. The life span of a pipeline can be many decades, so a strong partnership at the outset lays the groundwork for a good relationship moving forward. This year, the NEB published the Landowner’s Guide to Land Agreements, a publication created by a subcommittee of the Land Matters Group, made up of landowner advocates, companies, and government. This guide provides advice on what landowners can expect when negotiating a land agreement. The document ensures landowners know their rights and where they can go to get extra help if they need it. We aim to have these sorts of collaborative endeavors become the norm.

Interested in finding out more? Get involved with the Land Matters Group by signing up today.

Regional Offices

The Board is continuing to strengthen our presence outside of our headquarters in Calgary. Our regional offices in Vancouver, Montreal and Yellowknife have been set up to hear to the unique viewpoints of Canadians across the country. Each office has been tasked with building stronger relationships and responding more quickly to regional events. This past year our offices have worked to strengthen working agreements with local first responders, municipalities, environmental and landowner organizations and Indigenous groups.

Interested in finding out more or getting in touch? Get the contact information for each of the Regional Offices.

Social Media

We are committed to getting information to Canadians quickly and in a way that works for them. One of the ways we do this is to actively use social media. Not only does it increase our speed, it also allows us to be more responsive. Last year alone, we had over 4,000 unique engagements on Twitter, up from 1,800 the previous year. The Board use these platforms to rapidly share information about ongoing hearings, public engagement and regulatory decisions and recommendations directly with the public. In addition to Twitter, we also utilize LinkedIn and YouTube and have just launched our Facebook page.

Follow us for all the latest information at your fingertips.
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