AT A CERTAIN POINT, INVESTORS HAVE GOOD LAWYERS TOO.

Energy Board decision that cleared the way for Kinder Morgan Canada to bypass local bylaws during pipeline construction.

The expansion project would triple the amount of diluted bitumen from Alberta to Burnaby’s port for shipment overseas.

The federal government approved the pipeline expansion in 2016, but the project faces significant opposition in B.C. Thousands of people have rallied in protest and the provincial government has raised concerns about the pipeline’s possible environmental and economic impact.

There are still a number of other legal decisions pending on the pipeline, including a review by the Federal Court of Appeal of the decision by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet to approve the project and a review by B.C.’s highest court of the decision by the former provincial government to approve the pipeline.

B.C. Premier John Horgan is also seeking a legal ruling on whether his province can restrict increased amounts of oil from coming into B.C. while his government reviews oil-spill safety measures.

Notley said “willy-nilly” legal challenges — like Burnaby’s leave to appeal to the Supreme Court — will not deter investors.

“I think the idea is that you hope to make investors uncertain but, at a certain point, investors have good lawyers too and they understand when they’re real legal challenges and when they are showpieces.”