Yukon Easement

The Alaska Highway Gas Pipeline: The Canada-Foothills Easement Agreement

Canada and Foothills entered into an easement agreement on November 24, 1983, and a grant of easement (the Grant) was issued on November 28, 1983. A Certificate of Title for the easement was registered in the Yukon Land Titles Office in Whitehorse, Yukon, in July 1984, and the easement is a recognized property interest. Each year, TransCanada pays a fee to the Government of Canada, a portion of which is transferred to the Yukon Government.

Comprehensive maps of the easement may be viewed at the Land Titles Office. The precise location is set out in Plans, Profiles and Books of Reference (PPBoR) submitted to the Agency by Foothills before the easement was granted. A copy of the PPBoR is filed in the Yukon Land Titles Office in Whitehorse, Yukon, as instrument #67550.

The easement generally follows the Alaska Highway from the Yukon-Alaska border near Beaver Creek, Yukon, to the Yukon-British Columbia border near Watson Lake, Yukon. It is approximately 760 kilometres long and is generally 240 metres wide. The width will allow for minor adjustments of the pipeline location within the easement, and after the Pipeline is built, a much narrower easement would be granted for its operation.

The Easement Agreement was amended three times. On each occasion, in 1987, 1992 and 2012, the term of the easement was adjusted to accommodate changes in the Project’s economics and schedule. The most recent amendment to the Easement Agreement, on July 4th, 2012, allowed TransCanada more time to commence construction of the pipeline. This amendment takes account of the extra time TransCanada requires to make a study of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) option and to conclude contracts with Alaska gas producers.