Enbridge says it appreciates and respects the Supreme Court of Canada's decision on its Line 9 pipeline and is committed to its continued safe operation.
The Calgary-based company says it is absolutely committed to fostering a strengthened relationship with the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation and all indigenous communities.
Wednesday the court rejected the First Nation's challenge of the 2015 approval of Enbridge's reversal of flow of crude oil through Line 9 between Sarnia and Montreal.
It ruled the National Energy Board properly consulted the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation on the reversal of the pipeline that runs across its territory.
The First Nation fears the 40-year-old pipeline could rupture, potentially causing an environmental catastrophe.
Enbridge Senior Advisor of Public Affairs Ken Hall says the company has alleviated some of the concerns through consultation.
"We acknowledged their concerns and we do our utmost to provide justified actual answers, technical information to assist them in understanding our projects and our operations," says Hall. "There has been a lot of work and a great deal of resources expended to ensure that Line 9 is safe. We have now two years of operating history to show that the pipeline operating from a west-east flow is not creating any kind of issues, we didn't think it would."
Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley says the reversal of the pipeline is incredibly important to the Canadian economy in terms of security of oil supply.
"However, I respect the decision of the Supreme Court in that it said consultation was properly done," says Bradley. "But, the whole issue of respecting the fact that pipelines go through many different communities and First Nations territories, we need to ensure that they're continually being upgraded and maintained."
Line 9 initially sent oil eastward but the flow was reversed in the late 1990s in response to market conditions.
-With files from Lee Michaels