The agency has said that the funding is being made available to help successful applicants review and comment on the application to be submitted by the proponent Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines, which will include and environmental impact statement.
The funding may also be used to prepare for and participate in the public hearings that will be announced at a later date.
A funding review committee, independent of the review process, will consider applications and make recommendations on the allocation of funds. Funding applications must be submitted to the agency by 18 December 2009.
Enbridge Northern Gateway proposed to construct and operate two 1,170 km pipelines between an inland terminal located at Bruderheim, Alberta and a marine terminal near Kitimat, British Columbia.
One of the pipelines will carry petroleum west to Kitimate and the other line will carry condensate east to Bruderheim.