April 30 (Reuters) - The Canada Energy Regulator (CER)

on Tuesday approved the final permits for the Trans Mountain oil

pipeline expansion, clearing the way for the project to start

operating after years of delays and massive cost overruns.

The C$34 billion ($24.69 billion) pipeline expansion,

bought by the Canadian government in 2018 to ensure it went

ahead, will nearly triple the flow of crude from Alberta to the

Pacific coast to 890,000 barrels per day (bpd).

Trans Mountain said this month the pipeline would start

operating on May 1, but some shippers including Canadian Natural

Resources Ltd ( CNQ ), were skeptical it would receive all

necessary permits from the CER in time.

The pipeline is now authorized to carry crude from Trans

Mountain's Edmonton Terminal in Alberta to its Westridge Marine

Terminal in British Columbia, the regulator said in a statement.

"Today marks a significant milestone," CER Chief Executive

Tracy Sletto said.

Trans Mountain said last week it would complete line fill on

the expanded pipeline in early May and it expected the first

tanker to load at Westridge dock in the second half of the

month.

($1 = 1.3773 Canadian dollars)