VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – While the BC government remains locked in a dispute with Alberta over revenues from the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline, the province has declined offers from Enbridge to discuss benefits.
Al Monaco, chief executive officer of the Calgary-based company, says the $6-billion pipeline is a strategic development for all of Canada.
BC is “quite legitimately” insisting on criteria such as First Nations involvement and environment safety before it will approve the project, he says, but so far has not requested a meeting with Enbridge about concerns over the revenues and potential benefits of the pipeline.
In fact, Monaco notes the province has turned down the company’s offers for discussions.
“My understanding it that it’s not their desire to meet with us at this point in time, but we remain open to sitting down with the premier, as we would other members of the government or, frankly, whomever we need to,” Monaco told reporters in a conference call following an investor conference.
There are many benefits to BC from the project, Monaco believes — it would be the largest energy project in BC history and would generate hundreds of millions of dollars in spinoffs, taxes and jobs.
“As to whether or not there are any additional benefits beyond that, that’s something that the governments I know are, hopefully, discussing now or in the future. We would certainly be glad to be sitting at the table in that discussion but at this point we haven’t seen that opportunity,” Monaco adds.
Premier Christy Clark has outlined five criteria that must be met before BC will allow construction of the pipeline to deliver diluted bitumen from the Alberta oil sands to a tanker port proposed for Kitimat to transport crude to Asian markets.
The project faces opposition due mostly to the risk of a spill on land or from the tankers off the BC coast, and Clark has said the project must include world-leading response plans for a marine or land oil spill. It must also address aboriginal and treaty rights and include First Nations participation.
Monaco believes Enbridge can deliver on those demands. But Clark says the province also must get a greater share of the fiscal and economic benefits from the pipeline than is currently on the table, to reflect the greater risk to the environment for the westernmost province.
Alberta says sharing royalties from the project is a non-starter, and Clark has responded by suggesting BC could withhold hydro and regulatory approvals to press the issue.
Al Monaco, chief executive officer of the Calgary-based company, says the $6-billion pipeline is a strategic development for all of Canada.
BC is “quite legitimately” insisting on criteria such as First Nations involvement and environment safety before it will approve the project, he says, but so far has not requested a meeting with Enbridge about concerns over the revenues and potential benefits of the pipeline.
In fact, Monaco notes the province has turned down the company’s offers for discussions.
“My understanding it that it’s not their desire to meet with us at this point in time, but we remain open to sitting down with the premier, as we would other members of the government or, frankly, whomever we need to,” Monaco told reporters in a conference call following an investor conference.
There are many benefits to BC from the project, Monaco believes — it would be the largest energy project in BC history and would generate hundreds of millions of dollars in spinoffs, taxes and jobs.
“As to whether or not there are any additional benefits beyond that, that’s something that the governments I know are, hopefully, discussing now or in the future. We would certainly be glad to be sitting at the table in that discussion but at this point we haven’t seen that opportunity,” Monaco adds.
Premier Christy Clark has outlined five criteria that must be met before BC will allow construction of the pipeline to deliver diluted bitumen from the Alberta oil sands to a tanker port proposed for Kitimat to transport crude to Asian markets.
The project faces opposition due mostly to the risk of a spill on land or from the tankers off the BC coast, and Clark has said the project must include world-leading response plans for a marine or land oil spill. It must also address aboriginal and treaty rights and include First Nations participation.
Monaco believes Enbridge can deliver on those demands. But Clark says the province also must get a greater share of the fiscal and economic benefits from the pipeline than is currently on the table, to reflect the greater risk to the environment for the westernmost province.
Alberta says sharing royalties from the project is a non-starter, and Clark has responded by suggesting BC could withhold hydro and regulatory approvals to press the issue.
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