A federal recovery strategy for the southern mountain caribou is still a year away, the National Energy Board Joint Review Panel into the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline heard Friday.
Tim Leadem, a lawyer representing a coalition of environmental groups, asked the panel of more than two dozen federal employes and experts if the recovery strategy for the species, which has garnered much attention at the pipeline hearings, will be done on time.
"I certainly hope so," Canadian Wildlife Service regional director Barry Smith said. "We aspire to have it completed in roughly a year [from now]."
The recovery strategy is expected to outline the critical habitat required for the caribou, but with the National Energy Board's decision on Northern Gateway's environmental assessment application also expected in about a year, Leadem wanted to know what can be done to protect the caribou's habitat now.
"If habitat is not defined, you can't protect it because there's nothing to protect," Smith replied.
Environment Canada did issue some recommendations for how Northern Gateway can mitigate any harm to the caribou by applying the best practices currently available in the literature, consulting with experts and making micro-route changes to avoid particularly sensitive areas.
Smith said the recovery strategy for the southern mountain caribou is taking a long time due to the complex nature of the file. Since the animals traverse the B.C./Alberta border, both provincial governments and the federal parks department are part of the discussion. There are also more than 100 First Nations groups in the area that need to be consulted.
"It's a big job," Smith said. "It takes a lot of time."
Leadem continued his questioning in Friday's evening session at the Columbus Community Centre.
The Alexander First Nation near Edmonton had the first crack at the federal witnesses. Lawyer Caroline O'Driscoll spent most of her time trying to figure out how the various federal departments shared information about her client's community. She was also concerned that the current pipeline route would bisect future reserve land the First Nation will acquire in an agreement with the federal government.
The first federal government witness panel is expected to continue sitting when the hearings resume Monday.
