Stand reacts: The latest environmental deregulations for the pipeline MOU announcement

OTTAWA | TRADITIONAL, UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE ALGONQUIN ANISHNAABEG PEOPLE – Reacting to the news that the Carney government is planning to speed up pipeline approvals Stand.earth, Senior Campaigns Director, Liz McDowell said:

“The only way a new tar sands pipeline is ever getting built is if taxpayers pay for it. No one in the private sector is coming forward with the $35-40 billion it will take to finance the project. This new announcement is yet another attempt to enliven market interest and show that MOU progress is being made on a pipeline that no investors want to back. Regardless of whatever Ottawa and Alberta say, the proposal is opposed by the province of B.C. and many First Nations, which means it will face the same legal challenges and protests previous pipelines have faced. 

It’s not in our ‘national interest’ to accelerate climate change and risk the pristine coastal waters of the pacific coast, but that is exactly what weakening important environmental regulations will do. The tragedy of the Exxon Valdez oil spill is just one lesson in the long history of what happens when fossil fuel profits trump the needs of everyone else. The current war for oil in Iran has made it abundantly clear to nations across the planet that the best way out of this fossil fuel crisis is the rapid deployment of peaceful, cheap, and abundant clean energy – so why is Canada still lagging behind the rest of the G7 in renewable investment while pushing risky and slow oil and gas megaprojects?

Canada can be a clean energy superpower if we pivot to building the wind and solar projects we would be proud to have in our backyards, but unless Prime Minister Carney changes course quickly, we’re going to get left behind.”

Contact

Liz Mc Dowell, Senior Campaigns Director – Stand.earth, Liz@Stand.earth

For further background on the MOU and/or comment on the announcement:

Sven Biggs, Canadian Oil and Gas Programs Director – Stand.earth +1 778-882-8354

sven@stand.earth (Pacific Time)

Kiki Wood, Senior Oil and Gas Campaigner – Stand.earth +1 604-367-1865. 

kiki@stand.earth  (Pacific Time)