Land Matters Advisory Committee (LMAC AC)

In-person Meeting Minutes
11-12 February 2026

LMAC Chair: Marc Pauzé, Vice President, Communications and Engagement, Canada Energy Regulator (CER)

Opening Remarks: Genevieve Carr, Executive Vice-President, Transparency & Strategic Engagement, CER

Facilitator: Karla Reesor

Participants:

Janice Allen, Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN)
Isabelle Bouffard, Union des producteurs agricoles du Québec (UPA)
Leanne Chartrand, Alberta Energy Regulator (AER)
Riley Côté-DeMerchant, New Brunswick Federation of Woodlot Owners
Brian Crews, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
Marc Descôteaux, Énergir
Sandra Dixon, Enbridge Inc.
Crystal Greenlay, Manitoba Hydro
Lynn Jacobson, Canadian Federation of Agriculture
Fiona LeBlanc, Alberta Energy Regulator
Sarah McKenzie, Enbridge Inc.
Maria Reschke, BC Farmers Information Service
Ron Smith, New Brunswick Federation of Woodlot Owners
Keith Turner, International Right of Way Association
Josh Vass, International Right of Way Association
Jenna Wood, TC Energy Corporation
Graeme Wright, TC Energy Corporation

Land Matters Project Working Group:

Amber Butterworth, Socio-Economic Analyst, Engagement
Dymphny Dronyk, Socio-Economic Analyst, Public Participation
Véronique Duhamel, Director of Engagement
Anne-Marie Erickson, Technical Leader, Public Participation
Carole Léger-Kubeczek, Socio-Economic Analyst, LMAC Coordinator
Lisa Zaplachinski, Socio-Economic Analyst

Guests:

Angelique Magee, Deputy Director, IMARs, NRCan
Carolyn Pharand, Director, Indigenous Ministerial Arrangements Regulations (IMARs),
    NRCan – virtual Hailey Lawson, Policy Analyst, IMARs, NRCan - virtual
Josh Friesen, Technical Specialist, Regulatory Policy
Jan Whitney, Technical Specialist, Policy and Coordination
Laura Harper, Hearing Manager, Facilities Adjudication, West
Reny Chakkalakal, Socio-Economic Analyst, Facilities Adjudication, West

Absent:

Darcy Allen, Farmers’ Advocate Office of Alberta
Jay Brown, Cenovus Energy
Suzanne Brown, CER Director, Public Participation

Day 1 – February 11, 2026

1. Opening Roundtable and Administrative Matters

Marc Pauzé, Chair of the Land Matters Advisory Committee (LMAC), opened the meeting and welcomed members, noting appreciation for the in‑person format and the multi‑stakeholder nature of LMAC.

Genevieve Carr, Executive Vice-President, Transparency and Strategic Engagement, delivered the opening remarks, including reflections on regulatory efficiency, dispute resolution activities, and the need to streamline some regulatory processes while not compromising environmental protection.

Decisions:

  • Adoption of the October meeting minutes.
  • Meeting agenda approved.

Roundtable:

  • Point of clarification: going forward, Marc Descôteaux will be speaking on behalf of Énergir, his employer.
  • Introduction by the members and the stakeholder group they represent.

2. Damage Prevention Workshop

A comprehensive overview of damage prevention (DP) was provided, including the history and evolution of DP regulations (Authorizations and Obligations), and the shared responsibility between pipeline companies and land users. Discussion emphasized that DP is where pipelines and people interact, and that most regulatory effort is focused on education, supported by enforcement tools where required.

Key discussion themes included:

  • Contraventions and near‑hits: Contraventions are reported by companies and identified through inspections and patrols (ground and aerial). Increased reporting may reflect improved awareness rather than increased risk.
  • Public awareness and repeat offenders: Members raised concerns about repeat contraventions by contractors despite company outreach. The CER described targeted engagement approaches, including audits, inspections, lunch‑and‑learns, and enforcement escalation where appropriate.
  • Agricultural considerations: The increasing size and weight of agricultural equipment was highlighted, along with challenges related to exemptions, depth of cover, seasonal impacts and emergency situations such as wildfire response.
  • Compensation and ethics: Members noted that compensation based solely on unit area may not be equitable and emphasized the importance of landowner education regarding rights and compensation mechanisms under the Canadian Energy Regulator Act. Concerns can be reported to professional associations, however, there is also a need to rely on regulations that will be enforced.

Action Items:

  • CER to meet with UPA to discuss the development of a damage prevention contravention engagement and awareness plan.
  • CER to share links to relevant public damage prevention publications.
  • CER to look into "Hazard Assessment Critical Control Points" as a methodology for risk assessment and report their findings back to the LMAC.

3. CER and AER: Comparison Between Federal and Provincial Regulators

A comparative presentation outlined differences and similarities between federal and provincial regulatory approaches, including jurisdictional scope, consultation and notification requirements, lifecycle oversight, and emergency management coordination. Emphasis was placed on relationship‑building, consistent communication, and shared objectives related to public safety and environmental protection.

Action Item:

  • Interest in having other regulators and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) attend a meeting to share presentations about their respective mandates, programs and services.

4. CER Regulatory Processes: Overview for Stakeholders and Landowners

An overview was provided of regulatory processes relevant to landowners and stakeholders, including participation in hearings, detailed route approvals, variances, and rights of entry.
Discussion clarified that:

  • Pipeline corridors are approved at an earlier stage (e.g. during the application hearing), while detailed route hearings determine the precise location.
    • A detailed route hearing only considers matters related to the route. Issues discussed during the application hearing are not open to further discussion.
  • Landowners may intervene even if they did not participate in the application hearing.
  • Right-of-entry proceedings are rare, as companies prefer to work with landowners to achieve negotiated settlements.

Action Item:

  • CER to share outcomes of the relevant detailed route hearings with the committee, either at the next meeting or in writing.

5. Land Agent Best Practices Workshop

Members participated in a facilitated exercise to identify effective land agent practices, gaps, and expectations. Discussion highlighted the importance of clear representation roles, accountability, communication expectations, and addressing potential power imbalances between companies and landowners. Members noted the value of collaboration between the CER and LMAC in advancing best practices.

Action Item:

  • Sub-Committee to develop a distribution plan for the Land Agent Best Practices Guide. CER to post a revised version on CER Dialogue ahead of the June meeting.

6. Day 1 Wrap‑Up

Members shared reflections on the day, noting appreciation for discussions on damage prevention, enforcement challenges, regulatory clarity, and the opportunity for landowner voices to be heard. The value of real‑world examples and case‑based learning was emphasized.

Action Items:

  • CER to include future discussion on damage prevention enforcement approaches.
  • CER to consider a future agenda item comparing CER and provincial regulators.
  • LMAC Secretariat to encourage presenters to include case studies in their presentation format, when applicable.

Day 2 – February 12, 2026

7. Land Matters Booklet

An update was provided on the completion of the Land Matters booklet. Discussion focused on distribution, whether sharing should be encouraged or mandated, and the importance of minimizing unintended burden while ensuring landowners receive information early and consistently. Printed copies of the text of the finalized booklet were made available for LMAC members.

Action Item:

  • CER to discuss the best way to ensure that copies reach the targeted stakeholder groups.

8. Indigenous Ministerial Arrangements Regulations (IMARs)

An overview was provided of the IMARs initiative, including objectives, key themes, and engagement timelines. Discussion focused on governance, authorization and verification of Indigenous governing bodies, regional variability, capacity considerations, and implications for predictability and transparency. Members emphasized the importance of early provincial engagement and avoiding a one‑size‑fits‑all approach.

Action Item:

9. Compensation: Elements of Consideration

A presentation outlining compensation approaches, including lifecycle models and considerations related to confidentiality, permanence of effects, and dispute resolution was delivered. Members discussed transparency, landowner expectations, and processes available when compensation amounts are disputed.

10. Action Plan 2025–2026: Progress Update and Priorities

An update was provided on progress and priorities under the current Action Plan. Discussion included committee composition, representation, and potential recruitment. Suggestions were made to consider including more regulators, agriculture representatives from Prairie provinces, a municipal voice and Indigenous perspectives on the LMAC.

Action Items:

  • Include recruitment as a priority item in the next Action Plan.

11. Action Plan 2026–2027 Workshop

Members participated in a facilitated workshop to identify future priorities and areas of focus for the next Action Plan. The following items were identified in a brainstorming exercise. Participants asked for time to review and reflect on the list prior to selecting priorities.

11.a      Items to Keep:

  • Terms of Reference
  • Hybrid format for meetings, with emphasis on connection when meeting in person
  • Education: include case studies as part of presentation format (e.g. damage prevention near-hits and land users)
  • Maintain the primary focus on landowner needs; Indigenous matters are addressed in other forums within the CER
  • Management & Operations: status quo, no need for chair/co-chair
  • Same governance structure – status quo regarding the chairing duties (e.g. no co-chair responsibility)
  • Action Plan - annual review
  • Increase the collaboration between the CER and provincial regulators
  • Content contributions from members based on their areas of expertise

11.b      Items to Eliminate:

  • Roundtable segment at the beginning of each meeting
  • Introduce new members by providing their bio ahead of the meeting.
    • Note: The roundtable introductions are helpful for new members when they first join the LMAC.

11.c.      Items to Start:

Presentation topics or issues to consider include:

  • Recruitment: mural municipal representation
  • Land agent training
  • For heritage resources, how do provincial regulations compare and how does the CER fit in?
  • Role of other government departments in adjudicative processes
  • One-Call
  • History of the LMAC
  • Landowner safety information
  • What the Build Canada Act means for CER and others
  • Develop a list of questions that landowners should ask or “did you know” items for landowners
  • Lifecycle regulation, highlighting maintenance and operations

Additional suggestions:

  • Meet in locations other than Calgary
  • Improve visibility of LMAC on CER and other websites
  • Visit a pipeline construction site
  • Develop a CER 101 and Land Matters presentation, perhaps for a virtual lunch and learn
  • Develop more practical implementation approaches for getting land matters information out
  • For damage prevention and unauthorized activities, create a clear checklist for companies to support effective enforcement
  • For Damage Prevention, establish consistent communication approaches for landowners based on past events and statistics (data driven)

11.d      Action Items:

  • LMAC members to provide input into the list of items, including suggestions for new items that may not have been mentioned thus far.
    • Input can be provided by adding comments on CER Dialogue in the Forum / Tribunes section below the project description. A discussion forum has been created to capture comments.
  • CER to draft an action plan for 2026-2027 for review by the LMAC at the June meeting.
    • Action Plan to be posted on CER Dialogue by mid-May to allow members to provide early feedback.

12. Closing Remarks

The participants were invited to share their final impressions and were reminded to complete the post-meeting survey – link on CER Dialogue.

The LMAC was also informed that the next virtual meeting is scheduled for 10 June 2026.

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