From CTV News:

It’s long past time for the federal government to issue environmental permits for a multibillion-dollar liquefied natural gas terminal in Prince Rupert, B.C. Premier Christy Clark said Wednesday while confirming she’s in three-way talks with Ottawa and Alberta over hydro sales.

Clark’s demand ups the pressure on the Trudeau Liberals, who have so far avoided hard choices on resource projects that are being squeezed between pro-development premiers and environmental and indigenous opponents.

But the B.C. premier isn’t laying the blame at the feet of the Liberal government elected last October, saying the bid by Malaysian giant Petronas for its Pacific NorthWest LNG terminal began more than three years ago.

“There is something wrong in the system when investors can’t expect to get a yes or a no on environmental certificates and other permitting in something other than 1,100 days,” Clark told The Canadian Press in Ottawa, where she was on hand for the historic Komagata Maru apology from the prime minister.

“So that’s what we need from the federal government.”

“To be fair to this new government,” she added, “they’ve been working hard at that and they’ve really picked up the pace.”

With the National Energy Board scheduled to release its assessment of Kinder Morgan’s proposed expansion of the Trans Mountain oil pipeline from Alberta to Burnaby, B.C., on Thursday, the country’s long political gridlock over resource approvals is approaching decision time.

There have been sourced reports of three-way, Alberta-B.C.-Ottawa negotiations linking LNG project approvals in B.C. with Alberta’s purchase of B.C. hydroelectricity and federal clearance for a West Coast oil pipeline.

“Discussions are happening,” Clark confirmed, noting her famously fractious negotiations with Alberta go back to the Progressive Conservative government of Alison Redford three premiers ago.

“But they’re not connected” to pipeline approvals, she added.

Continue reading here.


Legal Notice