And the Northern Gateway pipeline project is a go – or at least that was the message sent out by the federal government last week when, after a decade of back and forth debates and discussions, the national body decided it would approve the controversial project, subject to 209 pre-determined conditions outlined by the National Energy Board late last year.
Federal Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford made the news official June 17 where, in a short release to media, he challenged Enbridge, the company behind the project, to demonstrate how it will meet the conditions listed as well as encouraging the company to undertake extensive consultations with aboriginal groups and environmentalists opposed to the project.
“Today constitutes another step in the process,” Rickford said. “Moving forward, the proponent must demonstrate to the independent regulator, the National Energy Board, how it will meet the 209 conditions.”
He added, “The proponent clearly has more work to do in order to fulfill the public commitment it has made to engage with aboriginal groups and local communities along the route.”
The decision comes on the back of recommendations from both the National Energy Board and Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency last December that the federal government approve the potentially groundbreaking multi-billion dollar project.
Starting in Bruderheim, 50 kilometres northeast of Edmonton, plans for the pipeline indicate it would stretch 1,177 kilometres west through north-central British Columbia before resting at the deep-water port in Kitimat, B.C. The twin pipeline system and marine terminal would transport 525,000 barrels of oil per day for export, and import 193,000 barrels per day of condensate – the product used to thin oil for pipeline transport.
Top brass at Enbridge claim the Northern Gateway project would bring “significant, lasting economic benefits” to the Canadian economy, including over $300 billion in GDP over 30 years, $4.3 billion in labour-related income across Canada during construction and $2.6 billion in local, provincial and federal government tax revenues.
The new pipeline would also create 1,150 long-term jobs throughout the Canadian economy.
Speaking to the Nouvelle last week, local MP for Westlock – St. Paul Brian Storseth said he believes the right decision was made by the federal government in approving a project he sees as bringing “significant, long-lasting benefits” to northeastern Alberta.
“I think it's good news for our country and good news for our province.” Storseth said.
“Getting our bitumen and oil to tide water is absolutely essential to us as Canadians and is definitely in the national interest,”
“In regards to the Enbridge pipeline, the Government of Canada took their time through the reviewing process and at the end of the day, I believe the right decision was made.”
He added, “This is something that is very important to our area as an exporter of natural resources. This will create jobs and assist with growth in our region, but one of the things we have to realize is that this is just a part of the process, this isn't the final decision, this thing now goes to the province of British Columbia where Enbridge will have to work to meet both our 209 conditions and the province's conditions also.”
“We've played our role as regulator and approved what we can approve, everything else is really out of our hands now.”
While the economic benefits of Northern Gateway may be fairly straightforward, the project does not come without its detractors, with many federal and provincial politicians siding with human rights groups, First Nations, and other environmental groups in voicing their disapproval for the multi-billion dollar pipeline.
British Columbia Premier Christy Clark has previously taken a tough stance against the pipeline, even going so far as to tell media in 2012 that pushing ahead with the pipeline would spur a “national political crisis.” Since then, the B.C. government has told Enbridge it would have to meet five requirements for the provincial body to stamp its approval.
Those conditions include the successful completion of the environmental review process, providing world-leading marine oil spill response and land oil spill prevention, addressing Aboriginal treaty rights and ensuring the B.C. government receives a fair share of the fiscal and economic benefits the project will bring.
With Enbridge yet to meet those five conditions, B.C. Environment Minister Mary Polak said the provincial government had not altered its position.
“Our position remains unchanged at this time – it is still a no,” Polak said. “So far this project has only met B.C.'s first condition, there are four other conditions that have not yet been met,”
She added, “We understand the economic benefits the Northern Gateway pipeline will bring, bit it will not be at the cost of our environment.”
Addressing national media via teleconference last week following the announcement, President and CEO of Enbridge Al Monaco stated the economic benefits of the pipeline are “quite straightforward”, but admitted the company has some way to go when it comes to convincing the public that moving forward with the project was in everyone's best interest.
“We don't see this decision as the final step, lets be quite clear about that, but it is one more step in the process,” Monaco said. “If we can't prove our safety and environmental protection, then the economic benefits won't matter. In other words, the economic benefits alone are not enough to sustain public support.”
Monaco said the company would be working hard on what it sees as its three chief priorities moving forward – completing the work to satisfy the 209 conditions listed by the NEB, continuing to work with the B.C. government to respond to its five conditions and continuing to engage with B.C. communities and aboriginal groups to “build further trust where we haven't been able to do that to date.”
Both the Albertan and Saskatchewan government have voiced their support for the project, with acting Premier Dave Hancock saying Ottawa's decision on the pipeline is a “step forward” in accessing new markets for Canada's energy resources.
Still, there are many stumbling blocks for Enbridge to overcome before it can start putting shovels into the ground. Art Sterrit, executive director of British Columbia's Coastal First Nations warned that aboriginal communities are weighing a range of legal and direct action responses, but will first wait to see what Enbridge plans to do moving forward.
The B.C. government also retains the power to grant or deny up to 60 permits Enbridge will require moving forward to construct the pipeline.
With Bonnyville home to many involved in the oil industry, the effect the Northern Gateway pipeline could have on the town could be “pretty significant” according to Mayor Gene Sobolewski, who said he's looking forward to seeing what the project could bring to northeastern Alberta should it go ahead.
“I think this decision is a long, long time coming,” Sobolewski said when he spoke to the Nouvelle last week. “What this will do is bring long-term stability to this region. We are a major player in the oil industry and so overall I think this is a good thing for Alberta and a good thing for this region.”
He added, “Enbridge still has a lot of work to do, but I'm cautiously optimistic (this project will move forward).”
