The Joint Review Panel hearings on the Northern Gateway Project to be held here will go ahead as planned next week.
However, the JRP has announced a change of venue – the hearings will be held in the Haisla Recreation Centre in Kitamaat Village, not Riverlodge in Kitimat,
They take place Tuesday, January 10 and Wednesday, January 11 beginning at 9 a.m.
For people that can’t make those, next up is Terrace on Thursday, January 12 starting at 1 p.m. in the Sportsplex.
Prince Rupert has to wait until February but it is a measure of the number of intervenors there that the JRP has set aside no fewer than eight days: February 16-18 and 20-24. All start at 9 a.m.
This part of the process, called oral evidence, is expected to be concluded by the end of March.
But that will still leave oral statements from registered participants who live on or near the projects route; final hearings where Enbridge, intervenors, government participants and the panel will question those who have presented oral or written evidence; oral statements from registered participants who do not live in this region; and final arguments from Enbridge, intervenors and governments.
JRP expects to release the environmental assessment report in the Fall of 2013 and its final decision towards the end of that year.