Jennifer Nyland,

Jennifer advises clients on regulatory, indigenous, environmental and real property law matters for many industry sectors, including mining, clean energy, transportation, forestry and property development. She has successfully helped major project proponents to obtain environmental assessment approvals for hard rock mines, metallurgical coal mines, LNG facilities, and other projects.

Jennifer has also advised on a wide variety of projects and project expansions, developing regulatory roadmaps for major project permitting, and providing advice as needed throughout the permitting process. She has extensive experience advising on mineral rights, surface rights and water rights, including resolving disputes among rights holders. Her work includes reviewing and advising on mineral tenures, surface rights, and permits, whether in the context of project development or legal due diligence for project financing or acquisitions. In addition, she advises project proponents in respect of Indigenous land matters and impact and benefit agreements.

Jennifer’s work intersects with the firm’s real estate group for linear project development and also contaminated sites due diligence and remediation. Jennifer has assisted in regulatory matters such as public utility rate-setting, tariffs, and access to transmission and storage.

Prior to her career in law, Jennifer worked as an electrical engineer before co-founding a software company. She led the engineering department there for eight years, successfully managed the group through two acquisitions, and gained substantial experience in project management.

• Canadian Bar Association, Member
• CBABC Environmental Law Section Executive (2016/17)
• Environmental, Indigenous and Natural Resources Blog, Contributor

• Environmental Managers Association of BC (EMA of BC); Judge for 2019 EMA Awards; Director at Large – 1 year term (2019-2020); Treasurer – 2 year term (Sept 2020 – present)
• Keats Camps Board of Management (2007-2013; 2014-2020); Chair (2008), Past Chair (2009), Vice Chair (2016), Secretary (2010-2013, 2017-2019)
• Okanagan Partnership’s Engineering Advisory Board to the University of British Columbia’s Dean of Applied Science and Intellectual Property Task Force; Member (2005)
• UBC University Industry Liaison Office’s (UILO) Task Group on Sponsored Research Agreements; Member (2005)
• Okanagan Science and Technology Council (OSTEC); Board Member (2003 - 2005)
• Okanagan High Tech Council (OHTC); Board Member (2000 - 2002)

• Advising clients on the permitting and development of mines, electrical generation and transmission projects, other linear infrastructure, LNG terminals, port facilities, and other major projects in various provinces and territories, including BC, Yukon, Nunavut, NWT, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Nova Scotia.
• Represented major mining project proponents before the Nunavut Impact Review Board.
• Dispute resolution relating to real property issues, particularly mineral tenures and competing interests in land.
• Represented the mineral owner before the Surface Rights Board of British Columbia, in Schaeppi, et al. v. Bralorne Gold Mines Ltd, et al, Order 2191-1, in which the Board agreed it does not have jurisdiction under the Mineral Tenure Act (BC) to settle disputes between surface owners and the owners of Crown granted mineral claims.
• Representing clients in matters before other regulatory boards and statutory decision-makers in western Canada and the Canadian North, many of which are very large projects that are major economic drivers in the provinces and territories in which they are located.
• Advising on the current and potential future liabilities associated with the acquisition or sale of industrial properties.
• Advising major mining companies in the acquisition of advanced exploration or mining properties in BC, Saskatchewan, Ontario and throughout the Canadian North.
• Developing regulatory roadmaps, including identifying the need for and obtaining federal, provincial, territorial or indigenous environmental/impact assessment certificates/approvals, fisheries authorizations, water licences, waste authorizations, navigable waters approvals and other authorizations for mines, mills, hydroelectric facilities, clean power generation, railroads, transmission lines, marine facilities, large-scale real estate development, and other natural resource or infrastructure projects.