Premier John Horgan says this morning’s decision by the Federal Government to purchase Kinder Morgan’s holdings in Canada will not change his plans going forward.
“Today’s announcement by the Federal Government does not reduce the risk of a diluted bituman spill and the impact that would have on BC’s economy and evironment,” says Horgan, “it does not change the course the government of BC has been on, I will continue to protect BC’s interest.”
Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced the 4.5 billion dollar buy out of the controversial Trans Mountain Pipeline project, which Horgan has been fighting in the courts.
However, Horgan says that the project’s ownership has nothing to do with the reference question his government posed to the courts.
“The reference case did not speak to a specific project,” Horgan said Tuesday morning, “it doesn’t change the question that we put to the court. The question did not speak to Federal corporations, it spoke of a substance and our ability to regulate that substance.”
Horgan goes on to say that the purchase does force the federal government to be accountable for anything happening with the project as it is no longer Federally regulated, but instead Federally owned.
The Federal Government plans to complete the buy out by August and to seek investors to sell the project too following its finalization.