

The National Energy Board (NEB) has given Trans Mountain the green light to resume construction at two of its pipeline terminals in Burnaby, B.C.

The board approved the company’s request August 1 to resume work at its Westridge Marine and Burnaby storage terminals, as well as the tunnel that connects the two.

“We're pleased that the NEB has confirmed that we've met all the pre-construction conditions required to get construction underway at Burnaby Terminal, Westridge Marine Terminal and the Westridge Tunnel Portal site,” Trans Mountain said in a statement.

“Meeting pre-construction conditions is one of several things that we need to have in place before getting shovels in the ground.”

The company has yet to be given approval to continue work at its terminal in Edmonton. The NEB said it is still reviewing pre-construction conditions.

The board has also cleared the company to build temporary infrastructure sites in Kamloops, Merritt, Hope, Chilliwack, and Abbotsford.

The federal government reconfirmed its decision to expand the pipeline in June, nine months after the federal appeals court ripped up the government's original approval, citing incomplete Indigenous consultations and a faulty environmental review.

Two Fort St. John pipeline contractors have been selected to build nearly one-third of the 1,100-kilometre expansion through southern B.C.