Alberta Premier Rachel Notley is calling a recent court decision on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project a definitive "victory".
Last Friday, the Federal Court of Appeal dismissed the British Columbia. government's bid to challenge a National Energy Board ruling that allows Kinder Morgan Canada (TSX: KML) to bypass local bylaws during construction of the pipeline expansion which would triple the amount of crude flowing from Alberta to a port facility in Burnaby, B.C.
The court also ordered B.C. to pay the costs.
Ottawa 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.
B.C. Environment Minister George Heyman said the government is disappointed by the court's decision and suggested it undermines the local permitting process.
There are still a number of other legal decisions pending on the pipeline — including a review by the Court of Appeal of the decision by federal cabinet to approve the pipeline and a review by B.C.'s highest court of the decision by its former provincial government to approve the pipeline.
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