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It’s the second positive recommendation for the project from the NEB, which first approved the plans to twin an existing pipeline to the West Coast subject to 157 conditions in 2016. But a new regulatory review was ordered after the Federal Court of Appeals found in Aug. 2018 that the first recommendation failed to consider the pipeline’s contribution to tanker traffic on the West Coast.

“It feels like a re-victory,” Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers president and CEO Tim McMillan said of the new NEB recommendation.

The Canadian energy sector considers the pipeline to be critical infrastructure because oil production currently outstrips available export pipeline capacity, but executives stopped short of excessively celebrating the decision.

“Until we get the oil flowing, we don’t have a pipeline. So that’ll be the definitive point,” Canadian Energy Pipelines Association president and CEO Chris Bloomer said, adding that he was encouraged by the NEB report reconfirming the project was in the national interest.

“We’ve got to demonstrate that we can build these projects and get them online,” he said, otherwise investors would continue to leave the country’s resource sectors.

That reaction was shared both inside the energy sector and the Alberta provincial government, which also supports the pipeline.

“It’s a step, not a victory, but it is an important step,” Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said Friday, noting that she expects there will be appeals filed following the approvals.