Key dates this fall for federal decision-makers on energy and climate
OTTAWA — The fall of 2016 is shaping up as a period of crucial decisions by the federal government on climate policy and energy infrastructure. Here are some key dates:
Sept. 20 — The federal government announced it would not seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada on a ruling that impacted the Northern Gateway pipeline proposal and First Nations consultation. The Federal Court of Appeal overturned the conditional approval of the oil pipeline in June, ruling that Ottawa failed to properly consult First Nations affected by the pipeline. The Liberal government said it agreed with the court judgment, and pointed the finger of blame at the previous Conservative government.
Oct. 2 — The final, three-month review period for an environmental assessment of a liquefied natural gas export terminal in Prince Rupert, B.C., concludes. The federal government must decide by this date whether to approve the Pacific NorthWest LNG project, whose principal investor is Malaysia’s state-owned Petronas.
Oct. 3 — Federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna meets in Montreal with her provincial and territorial counterparts to begin final negotiations on a pan-Canadian climate plan based on the policy reports of four federal-provincial working groups.