Plan to restart pipeline coming ‘within weeks’

Notley says PM has vowed ‘reliable timeline to resume construction’

Ottawa is acting with a sense of urgency and has promised to deliver a clear plan within weeks to restart construction on the halted Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, says Premier Rachel Notley.

“Now the question is, do they act fast enough?” she told reporters in Calgary on Thursday. “The prime minister pledged to me that a clear and reliable timeline to resume construction will be established within weeks, not months.”

Her comments followed a meeting Wednesday with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who touted the importance of the pipeline during a busy Edmonton tour.

During a stop at the Hotel Macdonald, the two promised to work on timely solutions to move the turbulent project ahead.

“We have both instructed our officials to get to work immediately and burn the midnight oil on that task,” Notley said Thursday.

Last week, the Federal Court of Appeal found fault with the National Energy Board review that Ottawa used to approve the pipeline expansion in 2016. The federal government also failed in its duty to engage in meaningful consultations with First Nations, said the written ruling. The decision marked a triumph for Indigenous groups and environmentalists who opposed the project and spurred Kinder Morgan Canada Ltd. to halt construction-related activities to twin the existing pipeline from Strathcona County to Burnaby, B.C.

Trudeau hasn’t laid out Ottawa’s next steps, but said his government is considering its options, including legislation and an appeal.

He also told reporters Wednesday that Ottawa will examine what it would take to follow the court’s directions, which included redoing a portion of consultations with Indigenous groups.

“I’m not prepared to say yea or nay to their efforts yet because they ’ve not ultimately delivered an answer to us in terms of what their actions will be,” Notley said Thursday, adding she’s working in good faith with Trudeau’s government.

Notley also met with her market access task force and the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) Thursday.

The premier was resolute that the pipeline would get built and she discussed various legislative options, said energy executives following the one-hour meeting in Calgary.

However, there’s no clear-cut path yet.

“They’re just trying to figure out what is going to happen and what the process is. There has been processes within processes within processes, like a Russian nesting doll, on things — and they’re still taking it apart to figure our what’s most effective,” Chris Bloomer, CEO of the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association, said Thursday.

“I think the message of urgency is there. The ability to deliver quickly may not be there, given where things are at.”

While the decision will directly impact the Trans Mountain expansion and pipeline sector, petroleum producers note it will also affect the price they get for their crude, as well as their investment decisions.

“The result of the court case has added time to this process that is not helpful. I think it has further damaged our reputation globally and that will not be quickly corrected,” said Tim McMillan, head of CAPP.

The meeting included the heads of the country’s largest pipeline firms — including Ian Anderson of Trans Mountain and Enbridge’s Al Monaco — and the largest oilsands operators, along with smaller oil and gas firms.

Notley has continued to call on Ottawa to appeal the ruling, but backed off from her stance last week when it was a core demand. “It’s probably not our best tool or our most immediate goal we are pursuing, which is the resumption of construction,” she said.

She had also demanded Trudeau recall Parliament to address the issue and improve consultation processes with Indigenous groups.

Notley said Trudeau’s government already made headway with environmental protection plans for the B.C. coast that weren’t considered by the National Energy Board, and underscored the importance of avoiding a lengthy review process.

“There are a bunch of ways that the legislation can be changed to address the environmental concerns without kick-starting a whole new hearing process,” she said. “And that’s what we’re worried about.”