With the announcement from the National Energy Board (NEB) that the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project is in the best interest for Canadians, local officials are cautiously optimistic of what this could mean for the region.
“What I’m hoping is that it will now allow the government to make some commitment, and commend the work on the project. Hopefully, there won’t be any more court challenges or things like that... I’m happy and hopeful things will start moving forward. Once the federal government starts moving, it will trigger other projects and other investments in expansions in the area,” explained Town of Bonnyville Mayor Gene Sobolewski.
The NEB released their reconsideration report for the expansion on Feb. 22, which stated it should be approved after they examined the potential environmental impacts and other issues raised.
City of Cold Lake Mayor Craig Copeland noted the Trans Mountain Expansion is critical for the Lakeland.
“It’s going to help local producers to be able to distribute their local oil down the line. I know some of the companies in our area have dedicated space on the Trans Mountain, let’s get going here... I just think we need to revisit pipelines and start getting them back on the table for review, because the silliness has to stop eventually here in this country.”
If the expansion moves ahead, Sobolewski anticipates there could be a positive impact for the oil and gas sector.
“It means jobs and investments. It means, hopefully, the turn around that such there will be a little more prosperity, a little more spending, and it will grow the economy,” he expressed.
While the overall decision is a positive one for the expansion, Shadow Minister of Natural Resources and Lakeland MP Shannon Stubbs said it doesn’t get the pipeline any closer to getting built.
“The report by the NEB is, by no means, a concrete next step for the Trans Mountain Expansion. It’s yet another delay, and the Liberals saying that they may not make a decision within the 90 days after that report, and refusing to provide a timeline on their indigenous consultations, it’s just a further road block and a hold up for the construction beginning on the Trans Mountain Expansion,” Stubbs detailed.
She described the Lakeland as “ground zero” for feeling the consequences of the lack of pipeline capacity.
After the announcement, the NEB suggested imposing 156 conditions, including consultation with indigenous communities and commercial support for the project prior to construction. There were also 16 new conditions included in the report, such as taking measures to offset increased water noise and reducing emissions from marine vessels.
A second review was required when the Federal Court of Appeals struck down the approval of the project in August 2018, stating that First Nations communities weren’t properly consulted before it was looked at and approved.
“Every single issue that came up in the original regulatory review three years ago came up during this reconsideration,” Stubbs noted.
The federal government gave the NEB six months to redo the report and for consultations to begin with indigenous populations.
While the NEB found that the project could have environmental impacts on the southern resident killer whale and the greenhouse gas emissions would be significant, they concluded the benefits minimize the effects that may occur.
“The whole Trans Mountain Pipeline has been through the ringer, but the NEB put some more conditions on it,” explained Copeland. “But, basically the project’s going forward. In their minds, it’s a good and safe way of transporting our energy products.”
In a release, Robert Steedman, Chief Environment Officer for the NEB, said, “As indicated in the NEB’s report, the NEB has delivered a comprehensive, evidence-based, fair and meaningful review of project-related marine shipping... The NEB listened to a range of diverse views and carefully considered all of the evidence submitted, results of which are reflected in the conclusions, conditions, and recommendations presented in the report.”
Bonnyville-Cold Lake MLA Scott Cyr said, “Obviously, we all want safety when it comes to the creation of pipelines across Alberta, but it appears we’ve gone so far beyond that it’s become a political statement instead of environmental sensitivity. I think we need to start to treat the pipelines as if it’s a national crisis, and we’re honouring the fact that all of our provinces need to get their goods and services to markets.”
Stubbs noted the pipeline, which will run from Edmonton to Burnaby, B.C., is already behind schedule.
“Last year, when (the federal government) spent $4.5-billion tax dollars to buy the existing Trans Mountain Pipeline, they said explicitly that would guarantee shovels would be in the ground for that expansion last summer and that failed. They’re on the verge of missing construction season for this season coming up, too.”
Stubbs hopes the announcement unites Canada on the impact the expansion can have on the energy sector in the country.
“I hope that Canadians will realize this isn’t just a crisis for Alberta, it’s a crisis for the country because the energy sector is the number one investor in the Canadian economy and it’s Canada’s biggest export.”
The federal government had 90-days as of the report being released on Feb. 22 to decide if the project should proceed, but according to Stubbs, the federal cabinet may not make a decision in that time frame.
