The Financial Post reports in its Tuesday edition that the imminent completion of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion is more likely following Friday's decision by the Canada Energy Regulator to approve a request for a pipeline variance from the company building the project. A Canadian Press dispatch to the Post reports that while the regulator imposed a number of conditions, including testing and documentation requirements for the pipe materials, it said Trans Mountain can begin constructing the variance right away. The regulator said it will issue the reasons for its decision at a later date. The decision is significant for Canada's energy sector, which has been eagerly anticipating the start-up of the massive pipeline project. The Trans Mountain pipeline is Canada's only oil pipeline to the west coast and its expansion will increase the pipeline's capacity to 890,000 barrels per day from 300,000 bpd currently. Its construction, which is more than 98 per cent complete, has been going on for more than three years. Canadian oil producers have begun increasing production in expectation of the additional export capacity, which is expected to improve the prices Canadian oil companies receive for their production.