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Shovels ready for Trans Mountain Expansion

BNV.12.09.12.TMX
The Trans Mountain expansion is making headway after the federal government announced construction would be starting. - File Photo

Local officials used one word to describe the latest Trans Mountain Expansion news: “finally.”

“It’s been a long road, but certainly we seem to be seeing a little bit of light appearing at the end of the tunnel, and that’s encouraging for sure,” said Cold Lake Mayor Craig Copeland following the announcement last week that construction of the Trans Mountain expansion project is starting.

MD Reeve Greg Sawchuk stated, “Finally the pipe is going into the ground. That’s good news for the area, because we’re all well aware that we have a glut right now.”

The expansion, which will see a twinning of an existing 1,150-kilometre pipeline from Strathcona County to Burnaby, BC, will increase the pipeline’s existing 300,000 barrels per day capacity to 890,000.

“That pipeline movement is going to provide some much needed work and stimulus to our local economy,” exclaimed Town of Bonnyville Mayor Gene Sobolewski.

He expressed his apprehension when it comes to the project moving forward.

“There is so much unpredictability out there, but this news is positive. We’re elated, and I can hardly wait for it to start.”

The project dates back to 2013 when Kinder Morgan applied for approval through the National Energy Board, now known as the Canada Energy Regulator.

The federal government purchased the expansion in November 2016 at a cost of roughly $4.5-billion.

Since then, Lakeland MP and shadow minister of natural resources, Shannon Stubbs, has been waiting to hear what’s next for the project.

“The Liberal’s announcement  (last) week is no different than their ‘shovels in the ground’ announcement in July of 2018. Not a centimetre of new pipeline is in the ground and fresh court challenges continue to threaten the project. The Liberals didn’t even show up in court this summer to defend the TMX (Trans Mountain Expansion),” she said in a statement. “The Trans Mountain Expansion was scheduled to enter service in December of 2019 - instead, because of Liberal delays and failures, construction still has not started. To get TMX built, all the Liberals needed to do was provide legal and political certainty- not tax dollars. But after the Liberals blew $4.5 billion taxpayer dollars – and continue to lose money every single day – the Liberals owe it to every single Canadian to provide a detailed, concrete, comprehensive plan that lays out the timeline for construction, how the Liberals will address current legal challenges, and how much it will cost. Instead, the Liberals are announcing the same thing as before – with no clear plan for a different outcome.”

The roughly 980-km of new pipeline, which will carry heavier oils and have the capability of transporting light crude oils, will include 12 new pump stations, the addition of 19 new tanks to existing storage terminals, and three new berths.

“When operational, this pipeline will result in billions of revenues, and construction activities will spur thousands of well-paying jobs for Canadians across the country,” Alberta’s Energy Minister Sonya Savage said in a press release. “That’s why it’s crucial this project not be subjected to any further delays between now and completion. And while completion is the one true measure of success, it’s important to acknowledge milestones - like this - along the way.”

She continued, “Perseverance has got us to this point. When others were criticizing our energy industry and the value of future pipelines, Alberta did not waver... We will continue to fight. To fight for investment, to fight for jobs, to fight for more pipelines and to fight to continue to develop our natural resources in a responsible manner for the benefit of all Canadians.”

Meagan MacEachern, Bonnyville Nouvelle

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