The project entered an environmental assessment process in 2013 and, in 2016, an independent review panel was appointed by the minister of environment and climate change to lead the assessment, under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012.
The review phase of the environmental assessment concluded in August 2019 following a six-week public hearing. The independent review panel evaluated what they heard and the information received throughout the environmental assessment process to develop its Federal Review Panel Report. The report was submitted to the minister of environment and climate change in March 2020. The minister is now reviewing the recommendations in order to develop draft project conditions. There will then be an opportunity for the public, Indigenous groups, regulators and other stakeholders to provide comment.
In August 2020, the government requested we provide further information, through an information request. As a result, the federal timeline for decision making has been paused, and will resume once the information provided satisfies the request. We will look to provide this information to government by early 2021 and are hopeful that a decision can be made prior to next summer.
Learn more about the environmental assessment.
