Ottawa to intervene in B.C.'s Trans Mountain court case
'We are confident in Parliament’s jurisdiction,' says Jody Wilson-Raybould
The federal government says it will intervene in the B.C. provincial government's Trans Mountain pipeline court reference action that will decide whether the province can restrict any increase in the amount of diluted bitumen that moves across its border.
"We are confident in Parliament's jurisdiction and will intervene on the question in order to defend our clear jurisdiction over interprovincial pipelines," Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said in a statement.
B.C. Premier John Horgan announced last month that his province's highest court would be asked to determine if B.C. has the right to seek permits from companies that want to increase the amount of bitumen being shipped to the West Coast.
The federal government will now be in a position to make arguments and present evidence in the case.
The federal move is the latest development in the ongoing standoff between the B.C. government — which wants to block the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline from the Alberta oilsands to the B.C. coast — and the Alberta and federal governments, which back the expansion.
The court case essentially is asking the B.C. Court of Appeal if the province has the jurisdiction to implement a law it has drafted that would amend the province's Environmental Protection Act with the new regulations.
The draft legislation says companies seeking to bring more diluted bitumen through B.C. would need a permit from the province.
