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If they’re able to communicate that it’s shovels in the ground immediately or shortly thereafter, that should send a pretty powerful signal to the market Eric Nuttall, NinePoint Partners

GMP FirstEnergy analyst Mike Dunn said while the signs point to an approval, investors doubt construction on the project would begin before the federal election on October 21.

Those opposed to the pipeline also expect the federal government to approve the project but are gearing up to respond with a campaign aimed at punishing the Liberals in the elections.

“It seems like they’ve chosen a path and committed to it and I think it remains a big political mistake,” said Kai Nagata, energy and democracy director at environmental group the Dogwood Initiative. “Building a pipeline with public money in the middle of a climate crisis is a big mistake and I think voters will punish them for it.”

For its part, the Crown entity Trans Mountain Corp. says while it does not have an updated construction schedule, about 30 per cent of the pipes needed for construction have arrived in locations in Alberta and British Columbia, but noted that some of the materials currently being delivered were ordered prior to the Federal Court of Appeal ruling last year, which overturned the project’s construction permits.

“There are regulatory and commercial steps that need to be completed before we can get shovels in the ground, including remobilizing the contractors, distributing required notifications and ensuring we’ve met all of our pre-construction conditions,” the company told the Financial Post.

Building a pipeline with public money in the middle of a climate crisis is a big mistake and I think voters will punish them for it Kai Nagata, energy and democracy director at environmental group the Dogwood Initiative

Large stockpiles of green-coated pipelines have been amassed at yards in the B.C. towns of Vavenby, Hope and Kamloops, and preparatory work has been ongoing in Valemount, according to mayors along the pipeline route.