B.C. continues to fight the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline, entering a new legal challenge that has the potential to impede progress on the pipeline project.
The provincial government has applied for leave to appeal a Dec. 7, 2017, ruling by the National Energy Board (NEB) that allowed Kinder Morgan to bypass construction-related bylaws in the City of Burnaby.
The bylaws were related to construction work at the Burnaby Terminal and the Westridge Marine Terminal.
The province's position is that the NEB went astray by too broadly defining federal jurisdiction over interprovincial pipelines.
The Federal Court of Appeal will now consider the application.
B.C. first appeared as an intervener in the October 2017 Federal Court of Appeal hearing over the NEB's approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.
.@KM_Canada recently completed an Emergency Response Exercise on the Fraser River. Learn more: https://t.co/NKwJs1iFmH pic.twitter.com/AICcfDO3al
— Trans Mountain (@TransMtn) October 18, 2017
The move is sure to heighten tensions with Alberta in light of the recent dispute between the two provinces. On Feb. 6, Alberta made the bold move on boycotting B.C. wine in their province, hoping to make a point about how important each provinces’ industry is.
One of B.C.'s more recent responses was to declare April B.C. Wine Month, starting several initiatives that they hope will fuel the wine industry while the dispute continues. Other provinces and groups around the country have also shown their support for B.C. wine.
In 2016, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau approved the controversial Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, which British Columbians were and still are divided on.
Meet Surerus Murphy Joint Venture: Construction Contractor for the #TransMountain Expansion Project https://t.co/gIVEKcTCl7 #KinderMorgan pic.twitter.com/gBjx564189
— Trans Mountain (@TransMtn) November 1, 2017
