Enbridge Northern Gateway seeks 3 year extension

Time is running out for Enbridge Northern Gateway.

Approvals for the controversial pipeline project require construction to start by Dec. 31, 2016.

But those permits appear likelytoexpire before any pipelines are built.

"Clearly, we're not focused on construction schedules and a construction start date," said Catherine Pennington, Senior Manager andDirector of Community Partnerships at Northern Gateway Pipelines in Prince George.

Enbridgewants time to 'build relationships'

"We've been focussing almost exclusively on building relationships with indigenous communitiesand we really need the time," said Pennington.

PenningtonsaidEnbridgeis busy trying to build localsupport to "build a betterproject."

"Really, right from the beginning, Northern Gateway should have done a better job of building relationships with indigenous, First Nations, MetisandIndigenous communities, particularly on the west coast, " she said.

Pennington also saidEnbridgeneeds moretime to"receiveclarityon someoutstanding legal and regulatory issues."

But opponents of Northern Gatewayoppose anextension.

Enbridge's time is up. It's pretty clear communities have said, 'No.' NadiaNowak, Sea to Sands

'Enbridge's time is up'

"Enbridge's time is up," said Nadia Nowak, a community organizer with the Sea to Sands group in Prince George.

"It's pretty clear communities have said noto this project. We don't think they deserve any more of our time or energy,' said Nowak.

Nowakis one of more than 2,000 people who have mailed or faxed in letters of public comment to the National Energy Board as it considers Enbridge'sextension request.

More than 2,000 people weighed in

"The response has been quite extraordinary," said Sarah Kiley, a communications officer with the National Energy Board. "We've received well over 2,000 letters of comment...to let us know what we should consider."

If the extension request is turned down, the Northern Gateway Project could be finished before it gets started.

"The certificates attached to this project would expire and the company would no longer have the approvals it needed to construct the project," said Kiley.

Now the National Energy Board and ultimately Justin Trudeau'sfederal cabinet will decide if the sun is setting on Northern Gateway or if Enbridge will be granted an extension to December 31, 2019.