Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on July 5 reiterated his opposition to the route of Enbridge Inc.'s (NYSE: ENB) Northern Gateway oil pipeline.
Enbridge's project has been fiercely opposed by environmentalists and many aboriginal groups.
Trudeau said the Great Bear Rainforest in the west coast province of British Columbia is no place for a crude oil pipeline. The comments come after a Canadian court last month overturned federal approval of the project, sending it back to Trudeau's cabinet to reconsider.
The Federal Court of Appeal ruled in a 2-to-1 decision released on June 30 that the government had failed in its duty to consult with aboriginal groups on the project and sent the matter back to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet for a "prompt redetermination."
Calgary, Alberta-based Enbridge said in a statement that it remains "fully committed" to building the C$7.9 billion (US$6.1 billion) pipeline and that it was working with partners, including aboriginal groups who support the project, to determine the next steps.
Canada's former conservative government in 2014 approved Northern Gateway, which would carry oil from the Alberta oil sands to a port in British Columbia for export. Its construction was subject to more than 200 conditions.
After the approval, numerous British Columbia aboriginal communities, along with environmental groups, filed lawsuits seeking to overturn the decision.
In a statement June 30, the Canadian government said it will review the ruling before determining next steps and reaffirmed its vow to build a "nation-to-nation" relationship with aboriginals.
The court's decision was heralded by project critics, who said it shuts the door on the 1,177-km (730-mile) pipeline.
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