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“It’s a complete answer to the tanker ban,” said Helin, a member of the Lax Kw’alaams band near Prince Rupert who believes Alaska would welcome the proposal because of its significant economic benefits.

Photo by Jim Wilson/The New York Times files

Construction of the terminal alone would involve an investment of up to $1 billion. An additional $500 million would be spent on spill prevention preparedness, including tugboats, barges and training, Helin said.

It’s the project’s latest salvo against the controversial ban. Indigenous leaders behind Eagle Spirit say the ban is the result of a lobbying campaign by American-financed environmental NGOs and is being pushed through without their consultation and consent. If adopted, it would eliminate immediate and future opportunities for development, they say.

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The Eagle Spirit project would transport as much as one million barrels a day of Alberta oil to Asia. More than 30 First Nations from Bruderheim, Alta., through Northern B.C., to Grassy Point, B.C. support the project and would be equity owners. In addition to an oil pipeline, Eagle Spirit involves a pre-approved energy corridor that could accommodate natural gas, power transmission and fibre optic lines.

Under its current plan, the pipeline’s endpoint and tanker terminal would be located in Grassy Point. If the ban, which is now before Parliament, is implemented, it would effectively prevent the establishment of an oil tanker port in Canadian territory on the Northern B.C. coast, Helin said. The project would then end in the corridor in Hyder, located about 25 kilometres up the coast in Alaska.