EDMONTON, AB (October 2, 2015): Following reaction from municipal and provincial officials in British Columbia to Premier Rachel Notley’s surprise push to shift the Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project to a different port, Notley should explain how she came to her new opinion, the Wildrose Official Opposition said today.
“The Premier has stated she wants to see a drama-free pipeline built to carry the province’s oil to new markets,” Wildrose Leader Brian Jean said. “She needs to clarify why she felt the need to raise this proposal. This move has managed to stir up drama with local officials, while the National Energy Board’s project review is underway.”
Delta Mayor Lois Jackson was taken by surprise by Premier Notley’s positon, and chalked it up to naiveté surrounding her new role. Kinder Morgan continues to support its current proposal as the best option.
A Delta route would move the pipeline closer to critical environmentally sensitive areas.
The only public proponent for a Delta Tsawwassen terminus appears to be in a blog posting on the anti-oil sands site ‘Tar Sands Solutions Network’.
“Ms. Notley should be working with the experts, industry and decision makers before she wades into issues critical to public policy and the economy. I certainly hope the Tar Sands Solutions Network isn’t where Alberta’s new position on the Kinder Morgan expansion came from,” Jean said.
Pipelines continue to be the safest and most environmentally friendly way of transporting product, with 99.999 per cent of crude oil and petroleum product on federally regulated pipelines arriving safely.
The Trans Mountain Expansion Project would, based on conservative estimates, see an increase of $14.7 billion in additional revenue for government over a 20 year period.