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22 www.canadianlawyermag.com/inhouse SPECIAL REPORT TRANS MOUNTAIN operates Canada's only pipeline system transporting crude oil and refined products to the west coast. Headquar- tered in Calgary, the company delivers approximately 300,000 barrels of crude oil and refined products each day through 1,150 kilometres of pipeline in Alberta, British Columbia and Washington State. As a federal Crown corporation, Trans Mountain is wholly owned by the Canada Development Invest- ment Corporation. In June 2019, the Government of Canada approved an expansion project that would add approximately 980 kilometres of new pipeline, so the legal team is deeply involved in navigating the legal parameters of the project and ensuring compliance with 157 conditions. "We have an extensive regulatory team that monitors the compliance with all those conditions and commitments, so that's an ongoing task," says Van Walleghem. The company has a sophisticated tracking system for all compliance-related legislation, so the legal department is alerted to any changes in legislation that are then reviewed in order to develop a plan for any necessary changes to ensure compliance. Monitoring environmental protection and worker health and safety requirements are key priorities for Van Walleghem's team, together with operating in a manner consistent with Canada's commitment to advance reconcilia- tion with Indigenous peoples. Van Walleghem and his team will be renewing service level agreements with each department within the business this year to make sure that they remain aligned in terms of expectations. "My number one goal is to maintain a productive and sustainable healthy legal department in 2021," he says. INHOUSE: What business challenges are you anticipating at Trans Mountain in 2021? VAN WALLEGHEM: That's a unique question as it applies to us, because in terms of business challenges for the company, I am not really anticipating many, the reason being that the pipeline is full and has been since 2008, so the demand for space continues to exceed our capacity. Unlike other businesses in these extraordinary times, the business of Trans Mountain pipeline continues to roll along unimpeded and efficiently for our customers — the shippers. INHOUSE: How are you navigating employment and labour laws as the COVID vaccine rolls out in Canada and employees are gradually returning to office spaces? VAN WALLEGHEM: We are governed by the Canada Labour Code as a federal undertak- ing, and throughout this year [2020], we have been monitoring some of the changes to the code. In the face of COVID, I think one of the key things is to continue to recognize the necessity for accommodation for employees. ROB VAN WALLEGHEM Vice president, legal and general counsel Trans Mountain Corporation Calgary, AB