The Federal Court of Appeal of Canada has rejected a challenge to government approval of the extension of the Trans Mountain oil pipeline. Four indigenous groups were contesting the approval decision, considering they were insufficiently consulted by the government of Canada. Parties have 60 days to file a petition in the Supreme Court of Canada.
The Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion (TMX) project would twin the existing Trans Mountain line, which transports approximately 300,000 bbl/d of crude oil and refined petroleum products from the oil sands deposits in Alberta to Vancouver (British Columbia) and to the Washington State (United States). The expansion would boost its transport capacity to 890,000 bbl/d and would increase crude tanker traffic off the Canadian west coast.
In September 2018, the project was rejected by the Canadian Federal court of appeal on grounds that the government had failed to consider the concerns of some First Nations. However, the Canadian National Energy Board (NEB) estimated in early 2019 that its completion was in the Canadian public interest and should be approved: in June 2019, the Federal government of Canada approved the construction of the project, which it acquired from Kinder Morgan in 2018 to help ensure its completion. Canadian project company Trans Mountain Corp relaunched the construction of the pipeline in August 2019. It could be commissioned as of 2022 at the earliest.