By Spencer Gallichan-Lowe
Online journalist
Global News
Reaction to the Federal Court decision to quash the Trans Mountain expansion pipeline project from Alberta stakeholders was swift on Thursday.
“It’s a real sad for Alberta and for Canada in terms of what it’s going to mean for our economy,” said Richard Masson, executive fellow at the school of public policy at the University of Calgary and former CEO of the Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission.
“This kind of delay in terms of getting a pipeline built means we are selling oil at prices that are very discounted from what we should be getting.”
Opposition Leader Jason Kenney will talk about the decision at 1:30 p.m. MT., which will be live streamed.
Premier Rachel Notley is also expected to speak to the ruling Thursday.
Kinder Morgan Canada Limited — the company charged with building the pipeline — said they are reviewing the decision and are suspending construction “in a safe and orderly manner.”
“We remain committed to building this project in consideration of communities and the environment, with meaningful consultation with Indigenous peoples and for the benefit of Canadians,” the company said in an email. “The court decision was not a condition of the transaction between KML and the federal government.”
The Explorers and Producers Association of Canada (EPAC) expressed “deep dismay at this devastating decision” in a news release.
“It’s hard to conceive of a project that could have had more layers of review, consultation and approvals at the NEB and the federal cabinet,” the EPAC release said. “To have a court panel review all that work and conclude years later that it wasn’t enough will give any project proponent a reason to doubt the wisdom of investing in Canada.”
EPAC said it represents about 160 companies in the oil and gas sector in Canada.
A summary of the FCA’s decision in Tsleil-Waututh Nation et al. v. Attorney General of Canada et al. (pertaining to the Trans Mountain pipeline) is available at the following link: https://t.co/sJVJr2nYuS
— Federal Court of Appeal (@FedCourtApp_en) August 30, 2018
Meanwhile, the Rainforest Action Network, a U.S.-based environmental protection organization, welcomed the court’s decision.
“This is a great victory for Indigenous communities everywhere fighting against destructive projects being imposed upon their territories,” said Patrick McCully, climate and energy program director in a news release. “It signals that governments, corporations, and funders must all respect Indigenous peoples’ right to free, prior and informed consent.”
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) described the ruling as an “unfortunate temporary setback” and encouraged the government to keep the project moving forward in line with the court decision.
“We urge the Trudeau government to act quickly to begin a corrected consultation process in accordance with the court’s ruling that it be ‘brief and efficient while ensuring it is meaningful’ in order to minimize cost to Canadian taxpayers,” a CTF news release said Thursday.
Alberta Party caucus leader Rick Fraser expressed his “strong disappointment” in the court’s decision.
“This is getting ridiculous,” Fraser said in a news release. “Albertans have been watching this project run into delay after delay, and for a project that is this important to our provincial economy, that is simply unacceptable.”
In Calgary, the city’s mayor added his voice to the seemingly growing chorus of disappointment from country’s oil and gas centre.
“To say I’m disappointed in this decision and related delay to the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion is an understatement,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi in an email to Global News. “This pipeline is a critical piece of infrastructure for our nation, and it will provide important benefits to our economy from coast to coast.”
#FCA quashes the #TMEX approvals. Marine shipping illegally excluded and consultation “well short of the mark set by SCC.” TWN is pleased that the FCA has recognized our inherent governance rights. Join us for further comment and to hear what comes next at 9:30am at CRAB park.
— TsleilWaututh Nation (@tsleilwaututh) August 30, 2018