A new court case by the Government of British Columbia to block construction of the Trans Mountain expansion is discriminatory and redundant – just another stall tactic to tie the project up with more red tape after Ottawa gave it the green light 18 months ago, according to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP).
“Enough is enough – it’s time to build Trans Mountain or risk the livelihood of thousands of Canadians and Canada’s reputation as a fair place to do business,” says Tim McMillan, president and CEO of CAPP. “What Premier John Horgan and his government are doing is a sham. They are not acting in the best interests of Canadians, or British Columbians, but instead advancing their own political agenda.”
B.C.’s latest move discriminates against both the product and the transportation type, purposely alienating Trans Mountain and stalling its construction, says McMillan, pointing out that B.C. wants to add a duplicative process to the project, which has already undergone the most extensive regulatory review in Canadian history and was approved under the National Energy Board Act.
“Trans Mountain underwent a thorough and extensive regulatory review – determining there was enough scientific evidence to ensure marine safety and approve the project. Trans Mountain is in Canada’s best interest,” says McMillan. “Ottawa approved this project on the evidence that we can protect Canada’s West Coast today and into the future. Now it’s time to build pipelines, not legal barricades.”
He goes on to say that the Government of Canada now needs to exercise its Constitutional authority and act in Canada’s best interests to move the project forward without further legal or political delays from the B.C. government, or risk hurting the national economy and the livelihoods of thousands of middle-class Canadians.
When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau approved Trans Mountain he made a commitment to get Canada’s oil and natural gas resources to tidewater for export to ensure fair market value, says McMillan, and as part of that commitment, he introduced the $1.5-billion Oceans Protection Plan to further enhance marine response, complementing the Western Canada Marine Response Corporation.
“It’s time Canadians stand up and show their support for the important role the oil and natural gas industry plays in our country’s economy and its future,” says McMillan. “Together, we can provide the world with the most sustainable and responsible energy produced.”
In the past two years Canada has lost more than $60 billion in capital investment with the demise of Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline, TransCanada’s Energy East pipeline, and Petronas’ Pacific NorthWest LNG project, among others.
