The call time was seven in the morning to start the workday in a cornfield near Abbotsford, British Columbia. But the day’s job was not related to corn farming. A crew of over 20 people were out on the field for an archaeological survey to support Enbridge’s Sunrise Expansion Program, a proposed natural gas expansion project that involves work in the Fraser Valley.
Will Webb, one of the workers on site, was carefully sifting the soil, scanning for archaeological artifacts such as tools, bone fragments or any other signs of the past. This work was being done as part of the environmental field studies to support the design and eventual construction of the expansion project. Webb’s job was to help identify potentially sensitive archaeological materials and to ensure any discoveries were managed in a culturally appropriate way.
As a proud member of Peters First Nation, a community connected to the land where this work was occurring, Webb immediately jumped at the chance to take on this work on behalf of his community when the opportunity came. But he needed certification first.
In BC, that means completing a five-day Resources Information Standards Committee (RISC) training course managed by the British Columbia Association of Professional Archaeologists. The RISC training covers essential archaeological field skills such as basic site identification, survey and recording.
“The training was fun and informative. It was a mix of classroom and fieldwork, which really helped us identify things that we might find on site,” says Webb.
But RISC certification isn’t cheap. The total cost to train six people comes to around $15,000, a hefty price tag for anyone to shoulder.
To help eliminate this barrier, Enbridge covered the cost of training for Webb and five other people, in partnership with Peters Resource Management LP, a Peters First Nation-owned business providing environmental and archaeological services. This initiative is part of Enbridge’s commitment to build stronger relationships with Indigenous communities and maximize opportunities for economic inclusion and benefits throughout the company’s operations and proposed projects.
“This is a welcomed initiative from Enbridge,” says Alexander Fanni, General Manager of Peters Resource Management LP. “We recognize the company’s efforts in providing long-term value to local communities through skills development, training and employment—a win for both Enbridge and Peters First Nation.”
Fanni says there are plenty of employment opportunities in the environmental and archaeological industries. “There’s more work out there than there are people available to do it. The real barriers to filling these spots are education and training.”
For Webb, the RISC training paid off. He completed his RISC training last June and hit the ground running in July, doing archaeological fieldwork on sites where his ancestors lived.
“Finding artifacts that could be from my ancestors from long time ago is really cool and feels amazing!”
In the Fraser Valley, the Sunrise Expansion Program involves adding sections of the pipe to the existing Westcoast natural gas transmission system to increase its capacity, and installing an additional compressor unit to help push the additional natural gas through the system. This work is needed to meet demand for natural gas.
To advance this project and plan for potential construction activities anticipated to begin mid-2026, archaeological surveys are being completed along the project’s proposed worksites.
Even after this work is completed, Webb says he’s confident he’ll be able to use his certification to find additional employment opportunities. “A great resume builder,” he says.
