Appeal Court quashes approval of Trans Mountain pipeline expansion
VANCOUVER — The Federal Court of Appeal has overturned Ottawa’s approval of the contentious Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.
In a unanimous decision by a panel of three judges, the court says the National Energy Board’s review of the project was so flawed that the federal government could not rely on it as a basis for its decision to approve the expansion.
The court also concludes that the federal government failed in its duty to engage in meaningful consultations with First Nations before giving the project the green light.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government approved the project in 2016 and is so determined to see the line built that it announced plans this spring to buy the pipeline and expansion project for $4.5 billion after Kinder Morgan Canada balked at moving ahead with construction.