Trans Mountain to be discussed at Trudeau-Notley meeting in Edmonton

EDMONTON — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be in Edmonton today, where he’ll face questions about his government’s plans for the beleaguered Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

The prime minister’s office says Trudeau will meet with Premier Rachel Notley this afternoon. A spokeswoman for Notley says the meeting will be about the pipeline, and that the premier hopes to discuss possible paths forward for the controversial project.

The Federal Court of Appeal last week reversed a cabinet decision to allow construction to go ahead, ruling there was not enough consultation with Indigenous people and that the National Energy Board didn’t properly consider the impact of an increase in oil tanker traffic.

After last week’s court decision, Notley announced she was pulling Alberta out of the federal climate plan until Ottawa gets the expansion back on track. She also demanded that Trudeau appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court of Canada and hold an emergency session of Parliament on the issue.

Trudeau has said Ottawa remains committed to getting the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion built.

The project would triple the bitumen-carrying capacity of the existing pipeline from the Edmonton area and Metro Vancouver.

Minutes after the court ruling was released on Friday, Kinder Morgan shareholders approved the sale of the existing pipeline and other assets to the federal government for $4.5 billion. The purchase closed on Friday, making the federal government wholly responsible for what happens next.

During his visit to the Alberta capital, Trudeau will also tour several facilities and a cultural society with Natural Resources Minister Amarjeet Sohi, who is an Edmonton MP. The prime minister will give a speech at a Liberal fundraising event in the evening.

The Canadian Press