The Chief of the Coldwater Indian Band has asked for meetings with provincial and federal ministers  to voice concerns about the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.

Lee Spahan has asked for an “immediate meeting” with Federal Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan.

“We need to have discussions with Minister O’Regan in regards to the water aquifer study, and trying to move forward with that. And that is very important to the Coldwater Band.”

He says he also hand-delivered a letter today in Merritt to B.C.’s Indigenous Relations Minister Scott Fraser.

“Requesting a meeting with him and two other ministers to sit down with the province and discuss what’s going on with the Trans Mountain pipeline and Coldwater. And we need to have those discussions, because the province needs to get involved in that and start getting some answers for Coldwater.”

The Coldwater Band was part of a group of Indigenous communities that were challenging the legitimacy of consultations on the pipeline expansion project, but its case was dismissed last month by the Federal Court of Appeal.

Spahan says his band will be seeking a leave of appeal to have its case continue.

He’s repeatedly voiced concerns about his band’s aquifer and the proximity of the pipeline expansion.

“Water is life and water is sacred. We all depend on water and we need to start having these discussions about water. Climate change is happening, and we need to make a change immediately.”

The pipeline project is expected to start in the Kamloops area by this summer.