More than 1,000 people gathered outside of McDougall Centre on Tuesday afternoon to show their support for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion following Kinder Morgan’s decision to halt the project.

Many in attendance said it was the first time they had participated in such a rally but they were motivated by the impact the shelving of the project would have on the industry.

“This is a huge industry for the country and we are absolutely being hamstrung globally,” said Kathleen Dixon. “It’s going to affect everybody’s bottom line.”

Shaye Anderson, Alberta’s Minister of Municipal Affairs, was among those calling for federal intervention to ensure the pipeline’s completion. “We need them to step up and make that known. The pipeline is approved. The pipeline needs to go forward.”

“The Prime Minister could solve all of this today if he exercised national leadership,” said UCP leader Jason Kenney. “He has the constitutional power to do so. He also has the power of the federal purse.”

Kinder Morgan’s announcement that the company was pausing all non-essential spending on the pipeline expansion due to opposition from the British Columbia government prompted an emergency meeting in Ottawa. Federal Finance Minister Jim Carr reiterated the federal government’s commitment to the project it approved in 2016. “The government is 100 per cent behind this pipeline.”

With files from CTV’s Alesia Fieldberg