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The Canadian government is likely to proceed with expansion of the Trans Mountain oil pipeline when it announces its decision next month, officials familiar with the matter say.

The government has made no secret about its interest in finding a way to expand the conduit, but has tiptoed around the matter to avoid opening any decision up to legal challenges that have already delayed the project — and things remain fluid as consultations continue. However, with a June 18 decision approaching, the government is likely to proceed with the expansion, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they’re not authorized to speak publicly.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has begun signalling his interest. “The only way to do it is to do it responsibly, and that’s what we’re doing. The need for it, and the national interest, is clear,” he said on April 30. However, to rush ahead without appropriate consultation “would be a guarantee you would continually be bogged down in the courts for the years to come.”