Trudeau Addresses Trans Mountain Pipeline Issue

The Canadian Press
4/10/2018
Updated:
4/10/2018

Justin Trudeau says the federal government remains “determined” to see the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion built after Kinder Morgan hit pause on the project, but the prime minister wouldn’t say what Ottawa’s next steps would be.

A federal investment in the Trans Mountain pipeline is one of the possibilities the Liberal government is considering to help get the controversial project completed, says Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr.

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says her province is prepared to invest in the pipeline directly if it would help keep investors on board—a notion her opposition rival, United Conservative party Leader Jason Kenney, says he would support as long as Ottawa also puts money on the table.

Opposition from British Columbia, including a threat to pass regulations that would prevent additional oil flows through the province, spooked Trans Mountain investors enough that Kinder Morgan called a halt Sunday to all non-essential spending on the project.

The company would be open to government investment if it brought certainty to the project, CEO Steve Kean said Monday.

Carr isn’t saying that a federal investment is a certainty, only that it is among the options on the table, along with legal and regulatory manoeuvres.

“We’re looking at all available options,” Carr said, without getting into specifics.

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