WEIGHING CONFLICTING CONCERNS IN FRONTIER DEVELOPMENT

It is no longer perceived that development proposals will automatically assure a net improvement in social well-being. This is particularly so in the case of frontier development. In these areas, information on economic and engineering costs and social and environmental effects is scarce, and projected outcomes from such a base are therefore questionable. The views of indigenous populations living in frontier areas can provide a valuable insight into possible effects of development, as shown in the decision-making process regarding natural gas pipeline construction in the Canadian northwest. Reference to this case suggests that it may be possible to design this process to permit economic development and to assure that environmental, social and local economic objectives are met.