Cyr Discusses Trans Mountain and Enbridge Line 3 Pipelines

This article is regarding the two pipelines that were announced both provincially and federally.  Many know that this is good for Alberta, however, are unsure what they are and how they will impact us.  In order to understand I have compiled a few facts from the Kinder Morgan and Enbridge websites on the two pipelines.

 

Kinder Morgan – Trans Mountain Replacement Pipeline

 

Kinder Morgan Canada operates a number of pipeline systems and terminal facilities, but the pipeline that is of interest is the Trans Mountain which currently transports approximately 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil and refined petroleum from the oil sands in Alberta to Vancouver, British Columbia and Washington state. The proposed $6.8 billion expansion of Trans Mountain, which would increase capacity to 890,000 bpd from its current capacity of 300,000 bpd.

 

Enbridge – Line 3 Replacement Pipeline

Enbridge is a $7.5-billion Line 3 replacement existing pipeline will include all remaining segments of Line 3 between Hardisty, Alberta and Superior, Wisconsin. All told, the Line 3 Replacement Program will fully replace 1,031 miles (1,660 kilometres) of Line 3 with new pipeline and associated facilities on either side of the Canada-U.S. international border.  This line is expected to have an initial capacity of 760,000 bpd from its current capacity of 360,000 bpd.

These announcements for replacement pipelines are long overdue, but are welcomed as we are potentially adding almost one million barrels per day in capacity to help debottleneck getting our ethical oil to markets.  We need shovels in the ground right now on these approved replacement pipelines and the Alberta Minister of Energy has committed to having these projects started within the year.

 

While the Prime Minister has credited Alberta’s plan to cap greenhouse gas emissions for the approvals it is important to know that the federal government is also looking to implement its own social licence.  Our federal Liberal government is forcing a nationwide carbon tax on all of us hoping Canadians will accept their senseless national carbon tax.

 

We have a Prime Minister that needs the Federal Carbon tax to work.

 

We have a Premier that needs the Alberta Carbon tax to work.

 

The Prime Minister and Alberta Premier both have a mutual personal interest to make this happen.  This carbon tax isn’t about Alberta.  It isn’t about Canada.  It is about their personal reputations that are at stake, and they are willing to do anything to achieve their radical ideological agendas that will cause direct harm to us all.

 

As to the timing of their announcement we can look to the Keystone XL pipeline going to the United States.  To the terror of our Prime Minister and Premier the Keystone XL pipeline is moving forward and that reinforces to Albertans that we don’t need a social license to build pipelines.  President Elect Trump has clearly signalled that the Keystone XL is a priority of the United States and secondly that he will not implement a carbon tax on the United States.  This makes both levels of government in Canada look like this carbon tax is nothing more than a cash grab by the Alberta NDP and they won’t let that happen.

 

To be clear to respective governments and everyone else in Canada, we are not done with getting our product to market!

 

We need pipelines in all directions and the announcement of the Enbridge Northern Gateway project along with of two replacement pipelines is distressing.  The Northern Gateway was a NEW pipeline not the replacement of existing pipelines.  Again it is important to mention that the replacement pipelines are good news, but new pipelines are just as important.  The Northern Gateway would have meant $300 billion in GDP growth for our economy over the next 30 years, and thousands of badly –needed new jobs.  The ‘no’ on Northern Gateway was really bad news for Alberta.

 

Along with the ‘no’ answer to a new pipeline we now have two of Premier Notley’s top advisors on Alberta’s own Oil Sands Advisory Group (OSAG), Karen Mahon and Tzeporah Berman, calling to shut down the federally approved replacement line.  You just can’t make this stuff up.  With Karen Mahon stating “this pipeline will never be built” and Tzeporah Berman saying that “the math doesn’t work” on emissions in regards with the Kinder Morgan we are now attacking our own pipeline.

 

Why are Albertan’s now paying for an advisory group that is working against our own people?

 

It is this type of confusing NDP messaging that is creating instability in Alberta.  Through this instability we are seeing an environment that is preventing investment and more clearly preventing jobs in our riding.  We are unsure how the NDP strategy of ignoring all those who oppose our pipelines is a good idea; Federal NDP, BC NDP and Saskatchewan NDP or our own Alberta advisory group to list a few.  Our government must stand up for Albertans, not start to brag about how a social license that Albertan’s neither asked for or want.

 

So let’s celebrate the two new replacements lines, but remember that there is still work that needs to be done to get new lines out of Alberta.  Without continues pressure the provincial NDP and federal Liberals appear to have no real drive to move forward Alberta’s need to get our ethical energy to all markets.  As your MLA I will remain committed to getting our energy to all markets so that we can get the best value for our energy products.