Round two of NEB hearings for Trans Mountain comes to Victoria

The National Energy Board will hold hearings in Victoria next week to collect oral Indigenous traditional evidence as part of its new review of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

Eight groups of Indigenous intervenors, including the Tsawout and Tsartlip Nations, will present arguments to the panel during the four days of hearings, that begin Nov. 26 at Delta Ocean Pointe on Harbour Road.

Intervenors are given an opportunity to share how the project may impact their communities, the use of traditional territory, or any potential or established treaty or Indigenous rights.

This is round two of Indigenous evidence hearings for the project, the first being conducted in 2014 and 2015.

RELATED: Energy board to hear traditional Indigenous evidence in Trans Mountain review

Though the project was sanctioned by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in November 2016 after the NEB recommended approval in May of that year (subject to 157 conditions), the Federal Court of Appeal struck down the government’s approval of the project in August.

The court cited inadequate Indigenous consultation and the NEB’s failure to review the project’s impacts on the marine environment – there would be a seven-fold increase in tanker traffic in Burrard Inlet and off Vancouver’s coast – as main factors for overturning the government’s approval.

In September, the Trudeau Liberals directed the NEB to address the inadequacies and submit a revised report by Feb. 22, 2019, thus launching the second round of hearings for the project.

RELATED: Take 2: NEB wants to hear your thoughts on Trans Mountain pipeline

According to a release by VicPD, they will be deploying temporary cameras “to ensure public safety” during the National Energy Board hearings in Victoria the week of Nov. 26.

The temporarily placed, monitored cameras in public spaces are in accordance with B.C. and national privacy legislation. Temporary signs will also be posted to ensure that those in the area are aware. The cameras will be taken down a short time after the hearings finish on Thursday afternoon.