Canada’s Alberta premier urges National Energy Board to approve controversial Trans Mountain Pipeline

Alberta’s premier Rachel Notley has urged the opponents to its trans mountain pipeline to tone down their opposition in the best interests of Canada. Her remarks followed a submission made to the National Energy Board, which is examining the project.

A three-member NEB panel is hearing out submissions on the impact of 1,150-kilometre Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline that will be carrying crude oil and refined products from Edmonton to Vancouver area.

“Our government believes that this project is good for Albertans and good for all Canadians,” Notley told reporters.

“It will create jobs, it will spur economic growth, and it will help ultimately fund many of the programs that support our province's transition to a greener, less carbon-intensive economy,” the Albertan premier added, The Daily Courier reported.

Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain

But the proposed expansion of the pipeline to the British Columbia coast is strongly opposed by the BC province.

Proponents of the pipeline vouch that it would diversify Canada’s energy economy and expand access to Asian markets for Alberta crude. Kinder Morgan is hoping to pump more bitumen by laying 980 kilometres of new pipe near the existing Trans Mountain pipeline that runs from Edmonton to the Vancouver area.

With its ambitious plans, Kinder Morgan is looking to triple capacity to 890,000 barrels a day as it sees huge demand to justify its expansion.

No fair return

In her letter to the NEB, the Alberta premier said there are abundant oil resources for an expanded line and noted that the province is not getting a fair return on its oil because of a lag in pipeline capacity that is restricting its sales to just one client--the United States. Notley also referred to various studies that said an expansion could increase western Canadian crude oil revenues by CA$73.5 billion (AU$ 73.5 billion) in the first two decades of operation.

The Energy board panel will submit its report to the federal cabinet on May 20 with its views on approving the project. Ottawa has to take a final call in three months.

Sales pitch

However, Kinder Morgan is citing the expected windfall in revenue at CA $46.7 billion (AU$46.7 billion) and creation of 14,000 jobs during construction and 3,300 direct and indirect jobs during the operations, as the high point for Canada, noted a report in BOE.

The British Columbia government has openly opposed the line and said Kinder Morgan has not met the five conditions it proposed for giving its nod. It said there was no clarity on how Kinder Morgan would deal with oil spills on land and water. The BC government also wants aboriginal concerns addressed and a fair share from the revenue for allowing the line through its territory.

The cities of Vancouver and Burnaby are also opposed to the project, citing oil spills from the seven-fold increase in tanker traffic in Burrard Inlet.