Explore stories from Atlantic Canada.
last month, she gave a nod to the workers on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, a $34-billion government-owned project more than a decade in the making that, after multiple cost overruns and delays, will this month finally begin carrying Alberta oil to the West Coast.Freeland used the opportunity to take a shot at those who, she said, think government only stands in the way of development.
The Liberals have said since they bought Trans Mountain that they intended to sell it after it was completed, but insiders who spoke on condition of anonymity say there is no intention of rushing the process. In the meantime, Ottawa will begin collecting tolls on those hundreds of thousands of barrels passing through TMX daily. Currently set at $11.
Currently only a handful of tankers arrive at the terminal in the Burrard Inlet each month. Shippers now expect that to rise to 34 a month. Having more potential customers is expected to boost the price for producers. Alberta is expected to collect billions more in royalty revenues as a result — and Canada billions more in taxes.
Anderson worked on the project when it was first conceived by Kinder Morgan in 2010 and was made Trans Mountain CEO when the federal government took over. He said Kinder Morgan believed in the project, but it couldn’t put up with the endless uncertainty it seemingly faced as Canadian activists, including some politicians, continued to find ways to block its development, primarily through the courts. Climate activists had made it their mission to land lock Canadian oil.
“It was a decision I didn’t want to take — owning a pipeline was not part of our plan — but it was necessary to complete the project and show international investors that Canada is a place where things can get done.” The decision was politically unpopular for the Liberals, alienating many of its more fervid anti-oil supporters while failing to impress Albertans and conservatives who blamed Ottawa for using taxpayer money to fix a crisis they blamed the government for creating. Many MPs and candidates complained privately and publicly about having to defend the decision on doorsteps in the 2019 federal election.
“Delays cost money, and whether there were regulatory delays, whether they were legal delays, whether there were delays related to, wildfires or heat domes or floods or COVID. Delays are crippling to a project,” Anderson said. “Instead of expecting First Nations communities to come to Ottawa to engage, I felt that I needed to be out in the community building relationships, meeting people where they are,” Sohi said.
Anderson said the construction progressed slowly even after the new federal permits were secured, including delays from the B.C. government in issuing provincial development permits.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
The Liberals’ delays on foreign interference carry profound costsA much-needed foreign registry is now on the table but won’t be ready before the 2025 vote
Read more »
Liberals introduce bill to establish foreign agents registry, update CSIS’ abilitiesIn addition to the new registry, Bill C-70 would equip CSIS with an increased ability to communicate potential threats to non-governmental stakeholders and proposes three new criminal offences related to committing acts associated with attempted foreign interference.
Read more »
Evening Update: Liberals unveil foreign interference registryAlso: Israel rejects ceasefire deal while preparing for Rafah invasion; Manitoba man argues not criminally responsible in killing of four First Nations women
Read more »
Liberals propose bill to beef up federal tool kit against foreign interferenceOTTAWA — Newly tabled legislation to fight foreign interference would bolster criminal provisions, open the door to broader sharing of sensitive information and establish a foreign influence transparency registry.
Read more »
Liberals propose bill to beef up federal tool kit against foreign interferenceOTTAWA — Newly tabled legislation to fight foreign interference would bolster criminal provisions, open the door to broader sharing of sensitive information and establish a foreign influence transparency registry.
Read more »
Liberals propose bill to beef up federal tool kit against foreign interferenceNewly tabled legislation to fight foreign interference would bolster criminal provisions, open the door to broader sharing of sensitive information and establish a foreign influence transparency registry.
Read more »