Feds’ final decision on Northern Gateway going down to the deadline on Tuesday

VANCOUVER – The federal government will announce its much-anticipated decision on the Northern Gateway pipeline after markets close on Tuesday.

Under its own rules, the Conservative government has a June 17 deadline for the final word on whether the 1,200-kilometre pipeline can be built linking the Alberta oilsands to a port on the British Columbia coast.

The $7-billion project is worth an estimated $300 billion in gross domestic product over 30 years and Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford has hinted the cabinet decision will be a positive one for the project.

But the pipeline faces steep opposition from many First Nations and environmental groups in B.C. and several aboriginal groups have already threatened court challenges should the federal government give it the go-ahead.

B.C. Premier Christy Clark says the project still has not met the five conditions the province has set out for approval.

Both the NDP and the Liberals urged the federal government during question period to reject the project, pointing to opposition by aboriginal communities and environmental concerns.