Lessons include the importance of pre-construction planning for erosion control associated with pipeline construction and for works in sensitive environments and indigenous reserves, in particular to improve acceptance by stakeholders; challenges involved with creating credible and effective supervisory systems to serve the needs of various stakeholders for complex projects with extensive information and general lack of trust among stakeholders; importance of worker health and safety training during the early stages of pipeline construction; and the need for an effective communication strategy on environmental and social issues.