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Canada's federal government has once again approved the contentious Trans Mountain pipeline expansion that would nearly triple the flow of oil from the Alberta oil sands to the Pacific Coast.

The approval Tuesday comes 10 months after the Federal Court of Appeal halted the project and ordered Canada's National Energy Board to redo its review of the pipeline, saying the original study was flawed and lacked adequate consultations with First Nations peoples.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau first approved it in 2016 and he was so determined to see it built the government bought the pipeline.

Officials expect construction to start this year but it faces stiff environmental opposition.

The pipeline would allow Canada to diversify oil markets and vastly increase exports to Asia, where it could command a higher price.