The construction of a new phase of the controversial 1,150-km Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion started in Alberta. A court session is scheduled on 16 December 2019 in British Columbia as six indigenous are challenging the project, considering they were insufficiently consulted by the Government of Canada. The oil pipeline expansion is yet to receive a construction permit in the province.
Canadian project company Trans Mountain Corp has relaunched the construction of the pipeline in August 2019. It is fiercely opposed by some environmental and indigenous groups. The 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. It could be commissioned as of 2022.
The project was rejected by the Canadian Federal court of appeal in September 2018 on grounds that 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, that it acquired from Kinder Morgan in 2018 to help ensure its completion.