The Federal Court of Appeal has quashed approval of the $9.3-billion Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion.
In a ruling released Thursday morning, the court found Canada had inadequate consultation with First Nations at the final stage and that the scope of the review “unjustifiably” did not include project-related tanker traffic.
The ruling is sure to cause further delays and increase costs.
Earlier this week, University of Saskatchewan law professor Dwight Newman said if the federal government were not successful in addressing consultation with First Nations, their support of the Trans Mountain project means the most likely remedy would be to go back and do more consultation.
During the 10-month period the federal court was deliberating, Houston, Texas-based Kinder Morgan balked at continuing to build the project in the face of opposition in British Columbia, particularly from the NDP government that came to power in 2017.
As a result, the Trudeau government made a deal to buy the expansion project and the existing Trans Mountain pipeline for $4.5 billion, which is expected to close this fall.
Gordon Hoekstra – Vancouver Sun – August 30, 2018.
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