Key dates this autumn for federal climate, energy decision-making

OTTAWA — The fall of 2016 is shaping up as a period of crucial decisions by the federal government on climate policy and energy infrastructure. Here are some key dates:

Sept. 22 — The deadline for the federal government to decide whether it will seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada on a ruling that impacts the Northern Gateway pipeline proposal and the First Nations consultation. The Federal Court of Appeal overturned the conditional approval of the oil pipeline in June, ruling that Ottawa failed to properly consult First Nations affected by the pipeline.

Oct. 2 — The final, three-month review period for an environmental assessment of a liquefied natural gas export terminal in Prince Rupert, B.C., concludes, after which the federal government has promised a prompt decision on the Pacific NorthWest LNG project, whose principal investor is Malaysia’s state-owned Petronas.  

Oct. 3 — Federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna meets in Montreal with her provincial and territorial counterparts to begin final negotiations on a pan-Canadian climate plan based on the policy reports of four federal-provincial working groups.