Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal on Tuesday dismissed a challenge to government approval of the Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion, clearing some uncertainty from the project.
The court said Ottawa held “reasonable and meaningful” consultations with indigenous groups as required by law.
According to Reuters, parties have 60 days to appeal to Canada’s Supreme Court. At least one other legal challenge is underway.
In 2018, Ottawa bought the 67-year-old pipeline, which runs from Alberta to the British Columbia coast, to ensure expansion proceeded. The project under construction would nearly triple capacity to 890,000 barrels per day by the third quarter of 2022.
“The evidentiary record shows a genuine effort in ascertaining and taking into account the key concerns of the applicants, considering them, engaging in two-way communication, and considering and sometimes agreeing to accommodations,” the court’s three-judge panel wrote.
(Reuters)
