1. Consultation Cannot Create Consensus
Meghan Mathieson
The proposed coal export terminal at Fraser Surrey Docks has generated huge controversy and
opposition from Delta residents over the potential local health impacts as well as global climate
change impacts.1
The public consultation process thus far has been deemed “dishonest and
undemocratic” with further complaints that there is “no clear framework for incorporating public
input into their decisions”.2
This coal export facility exposes the differences in opinion among different stakeholders over the
future of Canada’s natural resources with the competing issues of human health, economic
development, and environmental impact. The public is concerned about the impact of coal dust on
human health, the immediate and long-term environmental impacts of additional construction in
the area as well as the climate change implications of burning Canadian exported fossil fuels in
developing economies on the other side of the world. The government and industry stakeholders
are considering the far-reaching impact this development and others like it are expected to have on
the Canadian economy with additional jobs and increased economic activity in the area.
Reaching complete consensus about the use of Canada’s natural resources may never happen,
given the trade-offs inherent in these issues, but it cannot happen without a significant change to
the public consultation process. The current approach often seems to achieve the opposite of the
desired result: distrust and opposition, with accusations of only paying lip service to public
engagement.
A fundamental shift in thinking is needed to reach genuine consensus on natural resource projects.
Why would anyone strive to achieve consensus? Imagine the majority of stakeholders supporting
the project instead of opposing it. Imagine the reduction in risk resulting from considering a broad
spectrum of concerns and incorporating them into the design process at the very beginning,
creating increased certainty over project outcomes.
This fundamental shift means replacing public consultation or engagement with collaboration.
Public consultation provides information and asks for feedback (i.e. approval) as a required step
late in the project design and development. Collaboration would begin early in the project
development process and continue throughout, seeking input at all stages and working to address
the concerns of all stakeholders, not just what can be accomplished late in the process.
Committing to engage in collaboration with all stakeholders is undoubtedly time consuming,
costly, and potentially frustrating. But it is also a way to increase certainty early in the process and
thereby reduce costs and impacts to schedule later. Collaboration means a commitment to provide
and enable equitable access to information throughout project development, and particularly in the
early stages. Collaboration means taking the risk of being transparent with stakeholders and daring
to have an open discussion about the pros and cons of a given project. Collaboration means asking
for ideas and actually implementing some of them. Collaboration means allowing all stakeholders
a voice in the decision-making process.
1
http://www.delta-optimist.com/news/anti-coal-meeting-set-for-tsawwassen-1.696626
2
http://www.stopcoal.ca/

2. Meghan Mathieson is a Master of Business Administration candidate at the Sauder School of
Business. Her op-ed won third place in the United Nations Association in Canada’s innovative
programme, The New Diplomacy of Natural Resources, held from October 22-November 29
across British Columbia. For more information please visit www.unac.org.