Detailed Route Hearings – Segments 3 & 4

While the Trans Mountain Expansion project has been approved, the company must now determine the exact route the pipeline will follow.

When Trans Mountain filed its Plan, Profile and Book of Reference (PPBoR) with the NEB in early 2017, the company divided its proposed route into seven segments. Four of these segments are divided into sub-segments.

Segments 3 & 4 of the route begin at the western edge of Jasper National Park and generally follows the Yellowhead Highway south to Blue River, BC.

Segments 3 & 4 maps

What is a Detailed Route Hearing?

We will hold separate hearings for every segment of the detailed route. During the hearings, affected landowners, Indigenous communities and registered commenters and intervenors can share their views directly with the NEB Hearing Panel. The Hearing Panel will look at all of the written evidence and information, consider the input gathered during the oral hearing and come to a decision. Decisions are generally released approximately three months after the hearing ends.

The issues that will be considered in each of the detailed route hearings are:

• The best possible detailed route of the pipeline;
• The most appropriate method of constructing the pipeline; and
• The most appropriate timing of constructing the pipeline.

There is an opportunity for persons to apply to participate in the detailed route hearings as a commenter or intervenor. A commenter shares information with the NEB through a letter of comment. An intervenor is a full participant in the hearing.

The NEB does not have the authority to look at matters related to compensation. To settle compensation matters, please contact Natural Resources Canada’s Pipeline Arbitration Secretariat at nrcan.pas-sap.rncan@canada.ca

You can read more about the detailed route approval process in these Frequently Asked Questions.

Oral Hearings for Segments 3 &4

The oral portions of the detailed route hearings for Segments 3 & 4 are complete. The oral hearings were scheduled in two locations to accommodate local landowners, however, no hearings were held in Valemount, BC, as those landowners scheduled to appear withdrew their objections.

February 27 – 28, 2018 – Valemount, BC (hearing participants withdrew)
March 5 – 9, 2018 – Clearwater, BC

Segments 3 & 4 – Clearwater, BC

Date	Landowner, Affected Person or Indigenous communities	Hearing Order Number	Status	Transcripts
March 6, 2018	Little Fort Herefords [Folder 3350692]	MH-070-2017 [Filing A87886]	Hearing Concluded Decision: [Filing A91573]	Vol. 1 [Filing A90423]
March 6, 2018	John Richardson & Robert McMahon [Folder 3350033]	MH-078-2017 [Filing A87886]	Hearing Concluded Decision: [Filing A92764]	Vol. 2 [Filing A90447]
March 6, 2018	Bernard Uster	MH-079-2017 [Filing A87886]	Hearing Cancelled Board Ruling No. 1: [Filing A90531]	Vol. 2 [Filing A90447]

Regulatory Documents

The evidence and information filed during the detailed route hearings is available on our website.

Links to each individual detailed route hearing for Segment 3 and Segment 4 are available Here: [Folder 3350237].

• November 16, 2017 – Letter of Decision for Segments 1 and 2 [Filing A87884]
  The Letter of Decision outlines who will and who will not receive a detailed route hearing.
  
• November 16, 2017 – Hearing Order for Segments 3 & 4 [Filing A87886]
  The Hearing Order outlines all of the steps and deadlines and explains where you can find more information. Section 3 of the Hearing Order provides more details on how to apply to participate in a detailed route hearing.
  
• November 30, 2017 – Approval of portions of route in Segments 3 & 4 [Filing A87969]
  The NEB has approved portions of the detailed route in Segments 3 & 4. The portions of the route that were approved are not subject to a detailed route hearing.
  
• January 4, 2018 – List of Participants for Segments 3 & 4 [Filing A88989]
  The List of Participants includes information about how each hearing participant would like to receive hearing documents.
• January 9, 2018 – Advance on costs for Participation in Detailed Route Hearings – Process and Form to Request Advance on Costs [Filing A89077]
• January 30, 2018 – Procedural Update No. 1 [Filing A89643]
  This document provides important information about the hearing dates, locations and forms that are required to be filed with the NEB for the detailed route hearings.
• February 8, 2018 – Procedural Update No. 2 [Filing A89890]
  This document is a reminder to hearing participants to file certain documents with the NEB.
• February 8, 2018 – Procedural Update No. 3 [Filing A89892]
  This document provides more information on how the NEB will determine whether or not the Hearing Panel will inspect certain properties along the proposed detailed route.
• February 14, 2018 – Procedural Update No. 4 [Filing A89997]
  This document confirms individual hearing dates, times and locations, provides additional information about the hearing.
• February 23, 2018 – Ruling No. 3 [Filing A90136]
  This ruling explains which properties in Segments 3 & 4 the Hearing Panel will visit.
• March 1, 2018 – Procedural Update No. 5 [Filing A90301]
  This update provides more information about the hearing schedule and security information for the detailed route hearings.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

We encourage affected landowners, indigenous communities, registered commenters and intervenors and Trans Mountain to use our Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services. An ADR process is uniquely tailored to your individual needs and may include a meeting between affected parties.

To take advantage of ADR, affected parties, must agree to take part. This process is facilitated by trained NEB staff or by another neutral third party. The facilitator will assist participants in developing a process that may help resolve issues related to the statement of opposition.

If you are interested in taking advantage of our ADR services, a session can be scheduled at a location and time agreeable to affected parties. For more information about ADR options, please email Marie McKenney at ADR-RED@cer-rec.gc.ca or call 1-800-899-1265.