This study examines how disruptions to place are experienced as extreme events. Drawing on Indigenous ontologies and epistemologies, we analyze transcripts from public hearings on three Canadian oil pipeline projects—TransMountain Pipeline, Line 3 Replacement Program, and Energy East Pipeline. Our findings reveal that existing place-related concepts, such as sense of place and place attachment, fail to fully capture the multifaceted relationship Indigenous Peoples have with their lands. To address this gap, we introduce place multiplexity, a concept that highlights the layering of multiple meanings in the relationship between people and place. We show that place multiplexity influences how disruptions are experienced, with greater layers of meaning amplifying the experience of place disruptions as extreme events. Our paper contributes to the literature on place and extreme events, while also having practical implications by underscoring the importance of incorporating Indigenous perspectives into decision-making to avoid harmful impacts and support community well-being.
