The Canadian Federal court of appeal has halted further construction of the C$7.4bn (US$5.5bn) Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion project on ground that government has failed to consider the concerns of some First Nations. This landmark decision overturns the latest decision of the Canadian National Energy Board (NEB) in August 2018. Besides, the ruling also notes that the NEB did not properly consider the environmental impact of increased tanker traffic due to the project.
The 1,150-km long pipeline expansion 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 proposed expansion project is meant to significantly increase crude tanker traffic off the Canadian west coast up to 890,000 bbl/d.