On September 4, 2019 the Federal Court of Appeal agreed to
hear six of 12 challenges to the Governor in Council's
(GIC, essentially the Federal Cabinet) approval of the Trans
Mountain Pipeline, which came on June 18, 2019 (see their decision
at 2019 FCA 224).
Contrary to normal practice, the Court issued detailed reasons
on the leave application, in part because Canada and Trans Mountain
(owned by Canada) took no position on 11 of the 12
applications.
While the Court allowed six challenges to proceed, it
dramatically narrowed the issues to arguments relating to the
federal government's consultation since the Court overturned
the original project approval. In particular, the Court will review
the adequacy of consultation in the period between August 30, 2018
and June 18, 2019, the time between the Court's first decision
quashing the original approval, and their second approval of the
project.