The proposed route of TransCanada’s Energy East Pipeline. (Image: PRI)
THE ENERGY EAST PIPELINE WON’T GET BUILT EITHER
Why should eastern Canada suffer the water and climate risks western Canada and
the United States refuse to accept?
For Immediate Release
October 30, 2014, Ottawa – After TransCanada filed its official application with the
National Energy Board today, environmental organizations in Canada and the United
States, First Nations and community organizers said the Energy East pipeline will never
be built.
“It’s not going to happen,” said Patrick Bonin of Greenpeace Canada. “Energy East
would negate all the good work on climate that has been done at the provincial level,
pose a major threat to millions of people’s drinking water and disrespect Canadians in
Eastern Canada, who care as much as any other Canadian about oil spills contaminating
their homes, waterways and livelihoods.”
Energy East – extending from Alberta to New Brunswick – would be the longest oil
pipeline in North America and the single largest tar sands pipeline, transporting 30 per
cent more oil than Keystone XL and double the size of Northern Gateway. TransCanada
says its Energy East pipeline would create 1087 direct, long-term jobs, less than
Efficiency Nova Scotia, an energy efficiency utility that created 1200 direct, long-term
jobs in the past four years, in Nova Scotia alone.
“TransCanada entered my territory, Kanehsatà:ke, like a slick snake oil salesman with
promises of jobs and economic benefits. The company’s unscrupulous manner to
impress upon our community that Energy East is a ‘done deal’ is unethical and
coercive. In the absence of our free prior and informed consent, it would be illegal for the
National Energy Board to grant TransCanada an application for Energy East,” said Ellen
Gabriel of Kanehsatà:ke, a Mohawk community in Quebec.
The NEB has said it will not consider the climate impacts of the pipeline in its
assessment. This despite the fact the greenhouse gas emissions generated by filling
Energy East’s capacity would be equivalent to adding more than 7 million cars a year to
Canada’s roads, according to a recent report by the Pembina Institute.
“At a time when we’re already seeing impacts of climate change in Canada, it’s ludicrous
the federal government thinks it can review Energy East with no consideration of how
this project will impact the climate,” said Cameron Fenton of 350.org.
In recent weeks, more than 50,000 people have sent letters to the National Energy Board
asking that climate and community voices be included in the review of Energy East.
Water is another major concern as the proposed route would transport crude oil and
bitumen across at least 90 watersheds and 961 waterways. This includes the Rideau
River, Rivières des Outaouais, the St Lawrence River and the Bay of Fundy. It travels
over, through and near well and municipal drinking water sources, including Shoal Lake, which supplies water to Winnipeg.
“The Energy East pipeline would be a direct threat to Kenora’s water supply and, as
North America’s premier boating destination, that’s a major problem,” said Teika
Newton, a Kenora community organizer, adding the pipeline would jeopardize the half a
billion dollar regional tourism industry in Northwestern Ontario.
Just this week, voters in Kenora, North Bay and Thunder Bay elected city councils with
strong mandates to oppose Energy East, along with Thunder Bay, which re-elected
Mayor Keith Hobbs, an opponent of the pipeline. In Ottawa, a majority on city council
have expressed concerns about Energy East, while more than 40,000 Canadians have
signed petitions opposing Energy East.
In Quebec, close to 50,000 people have asked the federal government to forbid
TransCanada from drilling in endangered beluga habitat. More than a dozen resolutions,
including by several Quebec communities, have been filed against the pipeline. A recent
report by the Goodman Group showed Quebec would receive almost no economic value
from the project.
“There is no way Quebecers are going to allow what Canadians in the west and
Americans to the south don’t want, and that is unacceptable water and climate risks from
an export pipeline that benefits the bottom line of one pipeline company,” said Steven
Guilbeault of Equiterre.
Groups opposed to the Energy East pipeline include Greenpeace Canada, Equiterre,
Environmental Defence, Ecology Ottawa, Council of Canadians, NRDC, New Brunswick
Conservation Council, AQLPA, 350 Maine, Nature Quebec, Ecology Action Centre and
the Coule pas chez nous! Campaign as well as land and homeowners living near the
proposed route and concerned municipalities, like North Bay, Saint-Sulpice and
L’Assomption.
For more information, please contact:
Patrick Bonin, Greenpeace Canada climate and energy campaigner, 514-594-1221
Cam Fenton, Canadian Tar Sands Organizer, 350.org, 604-369-2155
Andrea Harden-Donahue, Energy and Climate Justice Campaigner, Council of
Canadians, 613-793-5488
Teika Newton, Kenora, Ontario community organizer, 807-466-2403
Geneviève Aude Puskas, Équiterre, 514-792-5222
Catherine Abreu, Energy Coordinator, Ecology Action Centre (Atlantic Canada), 902-
412- 8953