Interim Measures for Pipeline Reviews

Backgrounder

The Government of Canada has introduced five principles that will guide its decision-making on major natural resource projects while the Government undertakes a review of environmental assessment processes. For two significant projects currently under review by the National Energy Board (NEB), the Trans Mountain Expansion project and Energy East Pipeline project, the Government of Canada will immediately take steps to ensure consistency with these principles.

Trans Mountain Expansion Project
The Government of Canada will:

• Undertake deeper consultations with Indigenous peoples and provide funding to support participation in these consultations;
• Assess the upstream greenhouse gas emissions associated with this project and make this information public; and,
• Appoint a Ministerial Representative to engage communities, including Indigenous communities potentially affected by the project, to seek their views and report back to the Minister of Natural Resources.

To create space for these measures, the Minister of Natural Resources intends to seek an extension to the legislated time limit for the Government’s decision by four months (to seven months in total), extending the date from August 2016 to December 2016.

Energy East Pipeline
The Government of Canada will:

• Undertake deeper consultations with Indigenous peoples potentially affected by the project and provide funding to support these consultations;
• Help facilitate expanded public input into the National Energy Board review process, including public and community engagement activities. The Minister of Natural Resources intends to recommend the appointment of three temporary members to the National Energy Board; and,
• Assess the upstream greenhouse gas emissions associated with this project and make this information public.

To create space for these measures, the Minister of Natural Resources intends to seek an extension to the legislated review time limit by six months (to 21 months in total) and seek an extension to the legislated time limit for the Government’s decision by three months (to six months in total), for an anticipated total of 27 months.   

The Minister of Natural Resources will look at all other projects undergoing an NEB review to determine whether additional measures are needed to meet the principles.

Media may contact:

Micheline Joanisse
A/Director of Communications
Office of Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources
343-292-6837

Media Relations
Natural Resources Canada
Ottawa
343-292-6100

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Hon. James Gordon Carr Natural Resources Canada Economics and Industry