British Columbia has rejected the Enbridge’s Northern Gateway Pipeline proposal, which aims to build a massive pipeline from Alberta to the port of Kitimat, B.C.
The province filed its final written statement to the federal Northern Gateway Pipeline Joint Review Panel and concluded that it will not support the $6-billion proposal, as it stands, due mainly to environmental concerns.
“British Columbia thoroughly reviewed all of the evidence and submissions made to the panel and asked substantive questions about the project including its route, spill response capacity and financial structure to handle any incidents," environment minister Terry Lake said.
Strict conditions have been established by the provincial government when considering heavy-oil pipeline builds:
- Successful environmental review
- World-leading marine oil spill prevention
- Aboriginal and treaty rights addressed
- A fair share of the project’s economic benefits
“It is not clear from evidence that the Northern Gateway will in fact be able to respond effectively to spills either from the pipeline itself,” the report from the province said.
The federal government said it will await the final report of the Joint Review Panel when it is published in December, and said that “diversifying our export markets for energy remains a critical priority for our government.”
Federal minister of natural resources Joe Oliver said Friday he remained “hopeful” the project will move forward.
“We have to be clear: resource development will not proceed unless it is safe for Canadians and safe for the environment,” Oliver said in a statement. “That is why, for our part, we are moving forward with our plans to further enhance marine and pipeline safety and to engage with First Nations on west coast energy infrastructure.”
Enbridge said the government’s stance does not mean the Northern Gateway project is dead.
“I think we have the same objectives, so I think it’s just now a matter of time working with them to better define that,” said John Carruthers, president of the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines.
Janet Holder, executive vice-president of Western access for Enbridge, said the conditions set out by the province can’t be fully met until the review panel schedule is complete.
In the meantime, Enbridge will work with the province to respond to those stipulations.
“We are working hard to meet the conditions and earn the confidence of the government and the people of B.C.,” Holder said in a statement.
Environment groups applaud decision
Environmental groups say B.C.’s rejection of the project is a signal of widespread opposition to the expansion of the oilsands.
“We believe that it really signals that this project won’t go ahead,” Gillian McEachern of Environmental Defence told CTV’s Power Play on Friday. “It would be rather problematic to ram a pipeline through a province that doesn’t want it.”
McEachern said Friday’s decision signals a desire to shift away from traditional energy sources, such as oil, and towards green energy.
“The oil industry isn’t just going to get an easy ride in its plan to recklessly expand the tar sands over the decade,” she said. “Gateway isn’t happening in its own bubble. This is in the context of a broad movement of people who are really concerned about these projects.”
The Sierra Club of Canada released a statement on Friday applauding the provincial government’s decision.
"Days like this give meaning to 50 years of environmental activism," said the organizations’ executive director John Bennett. "Words cannot express how much I admire the activists and First Nations who made this decision possible."
But the B.C. government’s rejection of the project isn’t going far enough, says one citizen-based environmental Group.
The Wilderness Committee said the provincial government has the power to remove itself from the federal review process.
“We’re asking this premier, this government – please do so,” said Eoin Madden, the group’s climate change campaigner.
The Northern Gateway Pipeline was set to be 1,177 km in length, 36 inches in diameter and carry 525,000 barrels of petroleum per day.
This is not a rejection of all future projects, the province wrote in its submission. “Each project must be evaluated on its own merits,” the report noted.
British Columbia has asked for one hour to present its final oral arguments to the Joint Review Panel on June 17 in Terrace B.C.
