(Ottawa) If Quebec still hesitates to say yes to the construction of a new pipeline on its territory, Ontario presses the accelerator to create an energy corridor connecting the province to Alberta via Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
The Doug Ford government has just launched a call for proposals in order to carry out a feasibility study aimed at determining the best way to design this famous energy corridor and its possible route.
In this corridor, the Ford government wants to build new pipelines connecting Alberta to Ontario, which would allow to transport oil and natural gas from West Canada to refineries located in southern Ontario as well as to sea ports, including a new deep water port on the coast of Bay James.
Since the President of the United States, Donald Trump, sparked a trade war that has not spanned Canada, its main trading partner, the project to build new pipelines-unlikely six months ago-wins support.
Doug Ford is one of those who support this option, especially since Ontario fears the closure of line 5 by the state of Michigan. This pipeline of more than 1000 kilometers carries 540,000 barrels of oil and natural gas from Western Canada to Sarnia, Ontario, and crosses two American states, Wisconsin and Michigan every day, each day, Wisconsin and Michigan. However, the governor of Michigan has been threatening this line built over 70 years ago for a few years because she crosses the Strait of Mackinac.
PHOTO NATHAN DENETTE, ARCHIVES ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ontario Prime Minister Doug Ford
Enbridge, the company owner of the pipeline, proposed a series of measures to make it safer, in particular by building a protective tunnel on the part of the pipeline which crosses the Strait of Mackinac, which links Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.
Change of the situation
“The last months have shown that Canada can no longer depend on energy infrastructure outside its borders and likely to be interrupted at any time by another country,” said Prime Minister Doug Ford in a press release on Thursday.
“It’s time to build pan -Canadian infrastructure inside our borders to protect our energy security, find new outlets for our resources and create jobs and opportunities for Canadian workers. Together, we build a more competitive, resilient and autonomous economy, ”he also advanced.
The Prime Minister of Quebec, François Legault, has softened his position in this file in recent months, recently claiming that his government was ready to analyze pipeline projects insofar as this would lead to economic benefits.
“First there must be a project, concrete, financed projects, and secondly, there must be economic benefits for Quebec,” said Legault during the recent meeting of the Federation Council.
However, the approach that the Ford government has just launched does not change the position of Quebec. “Our position remains the same, that is to say that Quebec will have to give its agreement for a pipeline to cross its territory and that we would like to make sure that there are concrete benefits for Quebec. We will study the projects that will be submitted to us, if applicable, “it was said to the Legault government.
According to Doug Ford’s ambitions, new pipelines are fully built in Canada with Canadian steel. The steel industry, well established in Ontario, is abused by the Trump administration, which has imposed customs duties of 50 % since June on Canadian steel and aluminum exports.
Shadow areas
The feasibility study must also make it possible to assess the relevance and the advantages of a new port outlet on James Bay, Hudson Bay and the Great Lakes, as well as the viability of a new refinery or the expansion of an existing refinery along the pipeline route.
In addition, the feasibility study must offer strategies to promote indigenous participation in the capital of this project. Finally, we will assess the advantages of creating a Canadian petroleum strategic reserve.
The Ford government stresses that Canada is one of the few members of the International Energy Agency not to have a strategic oil reserve administered by the federal government.
“This situation exposes Canadian households and businesses to cross -border litigation linked to pipelines, disturbances caused by extreme weather conditions, geopolitical shocks and other energy supply interruptions. This reserve would constitute a strategic oil reserve of oil that the province could use in the event of a crisis to minimize service interruptions, ”according to the province.
This call for proposals is launched only about two weeks after Doug Ford and the Prime Ministers of Alberta, Danielle Smith, and Saskatchewan, Scott Moe, signed a protocol, during a meeting of the Federation Council in Huntsville, Ontario, in order to establish an energy corridor where it would be possible to build new pipelines, energy infrastructure.
“This is a decisive moment for our country,” said Mr.me Smith, in a written declaration. “By progressing a Canadian energy corridor between Alberta and Ontario, we provide long -term energy access for families and businesses, create thousands of jobs and open new perspectives in terms of trade and investment. »»
