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OTTAWA — Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr reiterated Ottawa’s support for the potentially delayed Trans Mountain expansion project, even after the federal government declined to participate in an upcoming hearing on the pipeline.

Ottawa approved the pipeline development in November 2016. Carr has been vocally supportive of the $7.4-billion expansion, but the federal government has taken a backseat on regulatory proceedings.

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“The responsible thing for the government of Canada to do is let the process work its way out,” Carr told reporters Wednesday.

“We have approved this project, we want it to proceed,” he said. “We have not backed away from that judgement.”

The comments come as Kinder Morgan Canada Ltd. has warned in recent weeks that regulatory snags could set back its completion date by as much as nine months, and that the project could even be cancelled if delays persist.

Ottawa has declined to participate in hearings over the project scheduled for later this month, which could decide whether the project meets further delays or is cancelled altogether. Applications to intervene closed yesterday.