VANCOUVER – Here are a few quick facts about Kinder Morgan’s proposed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.
The proposal: Kinder Morgan hopes to triple its bitumen-carrying capacity to 890,000 barrels a day by laying about 980 kilometres of new pipe near the existing Trans Mountain pipeline that runs from a community near Edmonton to the Vancouver area.
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The sales pitch: Kinder Morgan says the project is expected to generate $46.7 billion in government revenues and create 14,000 jobs during construction followed by a further 3,300 direct and indirect jobs per year of operations. Proponents say it would help diversify Canada’s energy economy by increasing access to Asian markets for Alberta crude.
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The opponents: The cities of Vancouver and Burnaby staunchly oppose the project, citing climate change and fears about spills resulting from a seven-fold increase in tanker traffic in Burrard Inlet. British Columbia said this week it cannot support the expansion because Kinder Morgan has not yet met its five conditions for approval, including a world-leading spill response plan and addressing aboriginal treaties. North Vancouver’s Tsleil-Waututh Nation, whose traditional territories include Burrard Inlet, and numerous environmental groups oppose the project.
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The supporters: Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said in a written submission to the National Energy Board on Tuesday that the pipeline expansion would be in the best interests of both Alberta and Canada. She cited reports that estimated the project could increase western Canadian crude oil revenues by $73.5 billion in the first two decades of operation. The City of Kamloops and the Whispering Pines-Clinton Indian Band are among the project’s supporters in B.C.
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The review: The National Energy Board is currently reviewing the project. A three-member panel is expected to inform the federal cabinet whether it approves the project by May 20. The government then has three months to make a decision. The review has been a target of criticism for excluding oral cross-examination from hearings and not considering the project’s impacts on climate change.
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The delay: The NEB postponed hearings in August after striking from the record economic evidence prepared by a Kinder Morgan consultant who was to begin working for the regulator in the fall. Steven Kelly won’t be involved in the Trans Mountain assessment, but the NEB said it wanted to ensure no questions were raised about the review’s integrity. The hearings are set to begin next week in Burnaby and concluding next month in Calgary.
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The new prime minister: Justin Trudeau vowed on the campaign trail to engage in a “new open process” for all pipelines, including analysis of upstream impacts and greenhouse gas emissions. Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan has called on Trudeau to suspend the Trans Mountain review and expedite changes to the process. But Natural Resources Canada says the plan includes a transition period for projects currently under review, and no project proponent will be asked to return to square one.
