Workers inspecting Enbridge’s Line 9 pipeline near the border of Waterloo Region and Brant County had to stop their work and leave the site after a group of protestors showed up.

A group of approximately 12 protestors amassed at the site Thursday morning, concerned Enbridge was doing the work without first consulting the Six Nations community.

They say the site is Haudenosaunee land, and Six Nations must give permission for Enbridge to work there.

“(We) asked the Enbridge workers to evict the property until proper consultation was achieved,” spokesperson Danielle Boissoneau told CTV News.

The workers complied, packing up their equipment and leaving the site – due to safety concerns, said Enbridge spokesperson Graham White.

“You can’t safely conduct heavy construction activities with people on-site that aren’t equipped and trained,” he said.

The site of the dispute is located just east of Highway 24, near Lockie Road.

Enbridge was conducting an “integrity dig” to inspect the line and determine if it needs maintenance – although White said any issues raised from the dig would be minor.

 “None of these would be causing any kind of immediate threat to the integrity of the line or the community,” he said.

Protestors also expressed concerns about the risk they say the bitumen-carrying pipeline presents to nearby land and water.

North Dumfries Mayor Rob Deustschmann, whose township contains the site, said he felt Enbridge “should be allowed” to conduct safety checks of the line.

“No one should stop them from doing that work,” he said.

White said Six Nations had been consulted on the project, but Enbridge was open to hearing concerns about its communications process.

“If there’s an indication that they wanted to have more information about this particular project in advance, then absolutely we want to hear that to ensure we can do better next time,” he said.

The protestors plan to return to the site Friday, and as far into the future as necessary.

Enbridge will take a “wait and see” approach before planning its next steps, White said.