Northern Gateway receives federal approval

On June 19, the federal government gave approval to Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline, which will carry 200-million barrels of diluted bitumen annually 1,177 km from Bruderheim to a marine terminal in Kitimat, BC. There it will be loaded on tankers bound for Asia. Alberta Premier Dave Hancock called it a “step forward in accessing new markets for Canada’s energy resources.”

Meanwhile Assembly of First Nations Alberta Regional Chief Cameron Alexis, who oversees the AFN environment portfolio and whose region would be the starting point for the pipeline, said in a news release, “We are calling for a balanced approach agreeable by all parties at the table, including First Nations, and we need an appropriate cross-border process to be established amongst the provinces and First Nations with respect to projects that cross provincial lines. This effort is long overdue and now is the time to begin working on an approach that is respectful and inclusive of First Nations based on our rights and interests.” In response to the government announcement, a group of nearly 30 BC First Nations and tribal councils said in a statement they “will immediately go to court to vigorously pursue all lawful means to stop the Enbridge project.” The Yinka Dene Alliance, which is made up of six northern BC bands, says preparation to fight the decision has already begun. The New Democrats, Greenpeace, and Sierra Club all released statements opposed to the federal government’s decision.