Yesterday the National Energy Board (NEB) said development of the Transmountain Expansion Project is in national interest.
For it to go ahead, the independent regulatory agency laid out 156 conditions and 16 recommendations to the Government in Council.
The #NEB has concluded that the #TransMountain Expansion Project is in the Canadian public interest & has recommended that the project be approved, subject to 156 conditions. The NEB has also made 16 new recommendations to GIC. https://t.co/5Miek9KVVw https://t.co/tWzA3BHGNK
— NEB Canada (@NEBCanada) February 22, 2019
Conservative MP for Cypress Hills-Grasslands David Anderson said the Liberal Prime Minister isn't really trying to get the pipeline built.
"Justin Trudeau clearly has no interest in getting this pipeline built or expanded. What he wants to do is keep talking in the public so the public doesn't understand it; doesn't really realize that. But the reality is that everything that they've done has actually damaged the energy industry."
Anderson talked about a few things the Liberals should have done to help facilitate the project's construction.
"One of them would have been to appoint a representative to really take charge of the Aboriginal consultation side of the equation. The second thing would have been to make it clear that Transport Canada was the lead in terms of marine transport. And then we believe a declaration that Transmountain... is a national project as far as national interest goes."
The Trudeau government bought the project from Kinder-Morgan for $4.5 billion.
Amarjeet Sohi, federal minister of natural resources, said the government is dedicated to the development.
THREAD (1/9): The Government of Canada has been steadfast in its commitment to do the hard work necessary to move forward in the right way on TMX by following the guidance from the Federal Court of Appeal. #cdnpoli
— Amarjeet Sohi (@SohiAmarjeet) February 22, 2019
Cabinet still needs to decide whether to go ahead with the project.
The NEB said economic benefits of the project would outweigh potential harm to marine life and greenhouse gas emissions that could come from its development.