The path has been cleared for the Trans Mountain Expansion Project to proceed.
On Tuesday, the Federal Court of Appeal unanimously dismissed four challenges to the approval of the project that was posed last year by First Nations groups in British Columbia.
In the decision, the court ruled that the First Nations groups did not show the Federal government’s failure to meet its duty to consult and accommodate during the re-initiated consultations.
Not long after the ruling, Premier Jason Kenney released a statement regarding the FCA’s decision.
Kenney feels the ruling confirms what the province has known all along, that TMX has been held to the highest standard at every turn.
“Now that this legal hurdle has been cleared, there is absolutely no denying that it’s time to get this pipeline built. TMX will result in billions of dollars of economic prosperity for Canadians and create well-paying jobs throughout the country,” the Premier said.
Initially, the $4.5 billion project was purchased by the Trudeau government in 2018.
Kenney notes while the province respects opposing opinions to the project, numbers show the majority of First Nations communities – and Canadians alike, want to share in the economic benefits of responsible resource development.
“That’s demonstrated by the 58 mutual benefit agreements that Trans Mountain has signed with Indigenous communities across Alberta and British Columbia.”
In a statement, President and CEO of Trans Mountain Ian Anderson says they are also pleased with the court’s decision to dismiss the challenges.
“After many years of consultation and review, we are pleased to be able to continue moving forward and building the project in respect of communities, and for the benefit of Canadians.”
Anderson notes the Federal government’s additional consultation represented an immense undertaking by many parties.
“The government was committed to a specific and focused dialogue with affected Indigenous communities to ensure Canada and the company heard their concerns and responded.”
In December, the FCA held a hearing which shed light on consultation efforts from August of 2018 to June of last year.
At that hearing, several B.C. First Nations groups alleged that the Federal government came into consultations with a predetermined outcome.
Premier Kenney says this marks an important milestone for TMX and Albertans.
“But we won’t get ahead of ourselves. Completion of construction remains the one true measure of success. We will hold our celebrations until oil is flowing through the pipeline.”
The expansion will see approximately 890,000 barrels of oil per day sent to B.C.’s coast.
