Indigenous groups in the Kamloops area have withdrawn from a Federal Court of Appeal case over the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

According to court documents obtained by NL News, the Upper Nicola Band and the Stk’emlupsemc te Secwepemc Nation – which includes the Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc and the Skeetchestn Indian Band – have discontinued their participation in the case as of yesterday.

“That was a direct result of our continued efforts working with those two groups specifically. The conversations we had, understanding what their concerns were, seeing if we can address them, that ultimately led to their decisions to withdraw their participation in the Federal Court of Appeal,” Trans Mountain spokesperson Ali Hounsell tells NL News.

The legal challenge argues that the process to approve the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion a second time was done without sufficient environmental assessments or consultation.

The Squamish Nation, Tsleil-Waututh Nation, Coldwater Indian Band and seven Ts’elxweyeqw Tribes, near Chilliwack, continue the legal battle.

More to come.