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“But we are going to ensure that the standards British Columbians expect to be met will be met. And what Kinder Morgan has done with the assistance of the NEB is found a way to short-circuit the process.”

Heyman said that if there are delays it’s because Kinder Morgan doesn’t understand permit requirements in B.C., which include adequate consultations with First Nations.

The NEB decision sets out a “generic” process for the national-regulatory agency to become involved in examining a dispute, a process that would take three to five weeks. The NEB they said they expect that to happen rarely.

Kinder Morgan didn’t get all it asked for: a tighter timeline and a standing panel.

The company, however, said it was pleased with the NEB decision.

“Provision of a process that is open, fair and provides certainty for all parties is good news and is an important component of the assurances we need for the successful execution of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project,” Kinder Morgan Canada president Ian Anderson said in a written statement.

The NEB said it still expects all sides to go through the permitting process in good faith.

“This generic process will provide a measure of certainty regarding the regulatory tools available to resolve permitting disputes or disagreements in limited circumstances where Trans Mountain and provincial and municipal authorities are unable to do so,” the NEB said in a release.

Just this week, Kinder Morgan said that permitting uncertainty could delay the project completion by 12 months to the end of 2020.