The expansion of the Canadian government-owned Trans Mountain oil pipeline advanced to a new construction stage, in Acheson, Alberta, Canada December 3, 2019. REUTERS/Candace Elliott/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 24 (Reuters) - The Canada Energy Regulator (CER) has ordered the company building the Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion (TMX) to appear at an oral hearing on Monday, as the regulator weighs whether to approve a variance request from the project. Trans Mountain had asked the regulator to make a decision on the variance request by Nov. 30 to "advance the timely completion" of the expansion project. In September, the CER approved a route deviation request from TMX for a section of pipeline near Kamloops, despite opposition from local Indigenous groups. The CER said no other parties had expressed concern about TMX's latest variance request.

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Persons: Candace Elliott, TMX, Nia Williams, Mark Porter, Leslie Adler Organizations: Canadian, REUTERS, Canada Energy Regulator, Trans Mountain Corp, Thomson Locations: Acheson , Alberta, Canada, Hope, Chilliwack, British Columbia, Calgary, Alberta, Coast, Abbotsford, TMX, Kamloops