Kinder Morgan's plans to expand the Trans Mountain pipeline may be helped by new Canadian Prime Minister and Liberal, Justin Trudeau.
Amid activist pressure, the NEB has delayed its recommendation on the pipeline expansion project, which would twin the pipeline, triple its capacity and increase tanker traffic in Vancouver's Burrard Inlet.
But what does the new government mean for the project?
The Liberals now have a clear majority in the Canadian parliament, and will not need to concede any power to the New Democrats, a green, anti-energy party.
Trudeau has promised to formalise the non-binding moratorium on crude oil tanker traffic on B.C.'s North Coast passed by MPs in 2010 — that ban applies specifically to the North Coast.
Kinder Morgan is seeking approval to operate increased traffic on the South Coast.
In 2014, Justin Trudeau, told the press: "I certainly hope that we’re going to be able to get that pipeline approved. And I hope that Kinder Morgan learns from Enbridge’s experience of short-cutting or going too light on community buy-in.”
Edited from various sources by Elizabeth Corner
Sources: Seeking Alpha, Vancouver Observer, CBC, Vancouver Observer