Stopping the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline

The Review Process

The Enbridge Northern Gateway Project was assesed by a joint review panel under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. Although this was said to be a joint review by both the National Energy Board and Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, the former lead the process.

As part of the review, the three-person panel, made up of two people from Calgary and one from Ontario, conducted a public process that included hearings in communities along the proposed pipeline route.

The Joint Review Panel concluded hearings in Terrace in June 2013 and the Panel recommended approval of Northern Gateway with 209 conditions in December 2013. The Federal Cabinet approved Northern Gateway with 209 conditions in June 2014.

First Nations, environmental organizations and UNIFOR launched court cases challenging the decision to approve Northern Gateway. Court hearings took place in Vancouver in October 2015 and in June 2016 the courts ruled that Enbridge's approval was overturned due to the federal government's failure to properly consult Indigenous peoples.