Canada approves new pipelines to boost exports, greens ready to fight

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has approved the triple capacity Trans Mountain pipeline Kinder Morgan proposes to build from Alberta to Burnaby, British Columbia, as well as the Line 3 extension pipeline Enbridge wants to build from Alberta to the United States, doubling its capacity.

She pointed out that a duty to consult with First Nations is among the 157 conditions imposed by the NEB in its recommendation for approval of Trans Mountain last May and would likely be used against it in a court challenge.

Notley couldn’t have written the script better herself.

Demanding Trudeau “do what it takes” to get pipelines built could mean stickhandling the projects through a long list of court dates in order to quickly begin construction.

Now, she can return home to Alberta and, not to put too fine a point on it, rub it in the face of the opposition.

Notley’s government has passed, or is in the process of passing, sweeping changes to environmental, electricity, and tax rules to reduce Alberta’s greenhouse gas emissions and move toward renewable energy sources. The Kinder Morgan pipeline – what it does, is it increases safety and it increases the return for Albertans and, frankly, all Canadians.

The business community in B.C. was pleased. “As we’re showing here today, that’s how to actually get results”.

Kinder Morgan Inc (NYSE:KMI) stock is up four percent on Wednesday due to expansion plans for the Trans Mountain Pipeline receiving conditional approval.

Enbridge, however, will be allowed to replace the Canadian segments of its ageing Line 3 from Alberta to Wisconsin.

The Liberals offered a supplementary review of the Trans Mountain expansion project, but not a completely new review, as was promised. “And we’re getting a chance to reduce our dependence on one market and therefore be more economically independent”.

Trudeau rejected the Northern Gateway project to northwest British Columbia which passes through the Great Bear Rainforest.

“Approval is just the beginning, it’s not the end”, Conservative interim leader Rona Ambrose said Tuesday, before the announcements were made. But Ottawa has shifted focus to diversifying its customer base.

Northern Gateway was one of the most controversial projects that Trudeau had to make a decision on. I-along with the tens of thousands of residents, local First Nations, and other Metro Vancouver cities who told the federal government a resounding “no” to this project-will keep speaking out against this pipeline expansion that doesn’t make sense for our economic or environmental future.

The Tsleil-Waututh Nation has been vocal in its opposition to the proposal, as has Grand Chief Stewart Philip, president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs.

In Edmonton, Wildrose Leader Brian Jean was playing the Grinch. “Most people who talk about effective carbon pricing acknowledge that, as time progresses, it needs to go up but it needs to be done slowly”.

Ottawa’s announcement isn’t going over well with everyone. To further quench environmental activists and First Nation fears, Trudeau added that he would introduce a ban on oil tankers along the country’s northwestern Pacific coast.

But on Tuesday, Notley won a political victory that promises to help her politically and Alberta economically.