Keystone Trumps all Else

Mayor Copeland is hopeful Trump will bring renewed life to KXL

Mayor of Cold Lake Craig Copeland says getting the Keystone XL pipeline in the ground and moving oil trumps all the sensationalization of the American Election. “The Republicans have always been in approval of the Keystone XL and Trump has said in the past he is for it, as well,” Mayor Copeland says he is very hopeful that the pipeline approval will come over the course of the next couple months.

“I’ve been saying it for years, for our area, Elk Point all the way to Fort McMurray, the Keystone pipeline is huge. It’s great to see that President Trump is interested in getting the Keystone going asap. It’s a breath of fresh air and something that our region desperately needs,” Mayor Copeland says the pipeline that will run from Hardisty, Alberta through Montana and South Dakota to Steele City, Nebraska, is vital to the economic growth of the Lakeland. “The Keystone is significant because a lot of oil in our area goes through Hardisty. For the future growth of our region, the Keystone is a significant pipeline.”

The City of Cold Lake is ecstatic that the Trump Government is in favour of the Keystone XL. – Craig Copeland Mayor of Cold Lake

“It’s a major pipeline for the Canada. The issues that we’re having with the Trans Mountain, Gateway, and the Energy East, in terms of trying to get approval on those, if the Keystone kicks off fast and gets approved right away, Canada needs to really take a hard look at what in the world has happened to our approval process in Canada. We desperately need to get pipelines to the tidewaters and we should be embarrassed that the Keystone could be approved before the Trans Mountain, Gateway or Energy East are approved.”

We should be embarrassed if it’s Keystone that’s going to get pushed ahead and Canada has been sitting on the Trans Mountain, Gateway and Energy East all these years. We really need to take at look at what we’re doing in Canada. – Craig Copeland Mayor of Cold Lake

Should the Keystone XL receive approval from the American Government it will transport 830,000 barrels per day (132,000 m³/d) of crude oil. In turn revitalizing Alberta’s slow oilfield. “If Trump approves Keystone, it’s going to be a great day! We’re (the City of Cold Lake) are looking forward to the Republican party coming in and taking an interest in resource development. This is massive for future development.”

Another factor to consider is the railway, says the mayor, “a lot of our oil is railed. Having the Keystone being able to move so much oil down to the United States on a daily basis, this is going to fantastic to the producers because it’ll be less money to transport it than via rail.”

The City of Cold Lake is in support of the Keystone and any pipeline that’ll help get people back to work. – Craig Copeland Mayor of Cold Lake

During the election campaign trial Donald Trump stated he’s for the Keystone XL pipeline, but he wants a cut of the profits. Mayor Copeland says he may have a change of heart once he steps into the Oval Office, “when you become President or Mayor or the Prime Minister reality sets in. We’re going to have to see what he wants and TransCanada is going to have to work around that.” Mayor Copeland says Canada could present a tit-for-tat argument that a lot of natural gas is shipped from the Canada to the States in the east, so maybe Canada should get a piece of those profits. An argument of course for the appropriate parties, not the mayor of Cold Lake, says Copeland.

There’s a lot of details to be worked out and a lot of hope from the region that the Keystone will be approved. “The Republican party was always a supporter of the Keystone and I think they’re going to bring that one forward, right away.”

The Keystone XL is going to put a lot of people to work and Trump is all about people getting to work. – Craig Copeland Mayor of Cold Lake