By Cheryl Jahn

Business as usual

Business as usual

Sep 4, 2019 | 4:00 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The Federal Court of Appeal ruled today that six of a dozen proponents in opposition to the Trans Mountain pipeline can move on in their case to have the pipeline quashed.

This is the second time the matter has gone to court, with allegations about the lack of consultation. In this ruling, the highest Court of Appeal ruled that:

“The applicants do acknowledge that the Government of Canada introduced some new initiatives to assist consultation and added some conditions on the project approval that was ultimately given. But to them this is just window-dressing, box-ticking and nice-sounding words, not the hard work of taking on board their concerns, exploring possible solutions, and collaborating to get to a better place.

It concluded that:

“This Court must conclude that the issue of adequacy of the further consultation arising from the circumstances above meets the “fairly arguable” standard for leave.” But the ruling doesn’t bring the project to a halt, with work resuming on construction of the pipeline about two weeks ago.

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As far as the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association, it’s business as usual. “Until we hear that construction is stopped, things are moving,” explains Mike Davis, the Vice President of Regional Operations. “We’re seeing, even in Fort St. John, we were there eight months ago, you see equipment stockpiled in yards up until a month ago, those yards are empty. So equipment’s being deployed, workers are being mobilized, plans are in place.”

The Court of Appeal noted that there is “a substantial public interest in having the upcoming proceedings decided very quickly one way or the other” it has set out a very short timeline, giving the successful proponents seven days to file their notices of application.