‘Moral imperative’ for Canada to get new pipeline built: energy leaders

Alberta business and energy leaders say getting more oil to tidewater should be the priority, regardless of the route, as debate continues over a potential new pipeline to the West Coast.

That comes as The Globe and Mail reports Ottawa may favour a southern route to Vancouver over the northern path to Prince Rupert long promoted by Premier Danielle Smith.

British Columbia Energy Minister Adrian Dix said his government has consistently opposed a northern route.

“We’ve been really clear on some of these issues, particularly as you’ll note on the tanker ban,” Dix said.

“If this report indicates the federal government accepts that point of view, that’s a good development.”

Deborah Yedlin, president and CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, said the focus of any pipeline build should be on moving oil efficiently to global markets.

“There’s a few things wrapped up in there. One is a million barrels to the coast, however we can get it there is something that’s on everybody’s mind,” Yedlin said.

“Obviously pipelines are the best way to do that, not by rail.”

She said a southern route could offer advantages, particularly given existing knowledge from the Trans Mountain expansion.

“The interesting thing is if we go to the south, through the Port of Vancouver … you have an understanding of the geology, and what the challenges could be in terms of having to build a pipeline that arguably parallels (the) Trans Mountain,” Yedlin said.

Yedlin said her “gut says the south route” will likely be an easier pipeline to build than the northern pipeline to Prince Rupert, but there will still be challenging.

“It’s not going to be a cakewalk, because there’s lots of things that have to be navigated, (like) river crossings, et cetera,” she said, but said the southern route wouldn’t be as challenging geologically as it would be to route a pipeline through to Prince Rupert.

Yedlin also pointed to broader global demand for Canadian energy. The war in Iran means more countries are relying on Canada for oil supply as it becomes more difficult to rely on oil supply from the Gulf states, she said.

“There’s a moral imperative for us to do this because we know that we’re going to continue to use the hydrocarbons,” she said.

In a statement to CTV News, Smith’s press secretary Sam Blackett said Alberta is not committed to a single route.

Instead, the province “is leading the evaluation of all practical routes to ensure the proposal is economically viable, socially responsible, and respectful of First Nations,” Blackett wrote.

A southern route, potentially alongside the existing Trans Mountain pipeline, would still require significant work, including dredging in Vancouver’s harbour.

Environmental groups remain opposed to a new pipeline, regardless of the route. Isabel Siu-Zmuidzinas of the Wilderness Committee in B.C. says there is no good route to the coast.

“I think there’s a lot better uses of our federal dollars and a lot of other projects we could be putting our energy into,” she said.

Pipeline advocates argue expanding export capacity is critical for Canada’s economy and global energy supply.

Evan Bahry, executive director of Energy Connections Canada, said growing export capacity is essential as Canada looks to expand trade beyond the United States.

He said the specific route matters less than ensuring a pipeline is actually built.

“If the southern route through British Columbia is easier route that allows for a predictable build, that’s in interest of everybody at the highest level,” Bahry said, adding the support coming from Ottawa and the provincial governments in Alberta and B.C. is “incredibly encouraging news” for the energy business.

Still, Bahry says the energy sector is looking for regulatory certainty before committing to major investments.

“It’s contingent upon their investments in a future pipeline,” he said.

“Canada needs to get its pancaked regulatory regime sorted out so that investors can see a clear path and a clear, predictable time frame for when projects can be reviewed.”