The Upper Nicola Band has announced it has signed an agreement with Trans Mountain on the pipeline expansion.

The deal was reached on Nov. 4, the day before the UNB dropped out of a federal Court of Appeal case against the pipeline project, along with the Stk’emlupsemc te Secwepemc Nation which includes the Skeetchestn Indian Band near Savona and the Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc near Kamloops.

UNB chief Harvey McLeod says there are significant issues to address still, but says his band has come up with the best deal that was possible “under the circumstances presented.”

The agreement will allow members of the band to work on the project, and will support the band in monitoring any environmental impacts of the project. It will also encourage the UNB and Trans Mountain to work together to prevent any impacts caused by the build out.

“The bottom line is that consultation process needs to chang,” McLeod says. “We look forward to working with Trans Mountain to implement this Agreement honourably and in good faith… We continue to hold Canada to a consent-based approach consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.”

Trans Mountain president Ian Anderson says his company “deeply respects” chief McLeod and his community and says it looks forward to continue building that relationship.

“We know emergency response equipment and training are critical for Upper Nicola Band and our agreement helps ensure we can work together to support the continued protection of the community and the environment,” Anderson says.