Myth Busting of C-48 & C-69

C-48: proof that energy and environment go hand in hand 

At the end of June, the 42nd Parliament came to a close, and I came home to Edmonton for the summer. In the spring, our government passed two pieces of legislation that have been the source of much misinformation and political spin from opposition parties. Here at home in Alberta, I have heard a lot of myths about Bill C-48, the Tanker Moratorium Act on the Pacific Coast, and C-69, the overhaul of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. I know Albertans have been struggling with the downturn of the oil and gas sector and are frustrated, but I am going to set the record straight on both bills.

First, let’s talk about C-48. This is often referred to as “the tanker ban.” In fact, this bill targets a specific, ecologically important area on the northern coast of British Columbia. It prohibits ships carrying over 12 500 tonnes of crude or persistent oil from landing at ports from the north end of Vancouver Island to the Canada-Alaska border. Bill C-48 allows for the shipment of products like LNG and gasoline, meaning that communities along the north coast of British Columbia remain open to economic development opportunities. One example of this is the $40 billion LNG project in Kitimat, B.C., which is the largest infrastructure project of its kind in Canada. Our government is committed to this kind of development, and will make sure that Alberta oil and gas products make it to international markets.

This moratorium is nothing new. It complements the existing, voluntary Tanker Exclusion Zone that has been in place since 1985. For 35 years, this exclusion zone has existed and trade has flourished in BC. C-48 simply formalizes this long standing agreement between Canada and the US. This allows us to protect a unique ecosystem and continue to expand trade in the region.

The Senate recommended that C-48 be reviewed in five years. We support their recommendation, as it will give Parliament a chance to assess any new developments and to hear from all stakeholders.

Conservatives have been spreading false rumours that we are targeting the oil and gas sector. In fact we are overt in our support for this sector and the TMX pipeline expansion. We invested $4.5 billion in 2018 to purchase the line. Only a government committed to Alberta, economic growth and diversification of markets for Alberta petrochemicals would make such an investment. On June 18, of this year, after extensive consultations with indigenous peoples, our government gave TMX the green light to proceed. Construction on TMX is scheduled to start in September. My colleagues and I are proud to support thousands of good, middle class jobs for Edmontonians and Albertans through this expansion project. I am also committed to seeing the end of ridiculous gaps in Western Canada Select oil prices which we take from the US and the actual world price on a given day. Canada needs the lost $10-15 billion in price differential to stay in our country. Our government is doing what we must to defend Canada’s and Alberta’s economic interests.

TMX will take crude and semi-refined oil from our oilsands to markets other than the US by sending product to the terminal located in Burnaby, BC. This is a pipeline access point with the infrastructure in place to control, monitor and address any unlikely spills while getting our oil to international markets. The $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan and the $165 million allocated to protect southern resident killer whales will ensure that we protect the environment and increase trade.

At this point, TMX is projected to increase tanker traffic by ? of a tanker per day. In contrast, there are currently over 300 tankers each month that ship into this area of BC. With organic growth of shipping to Vancouver projected at 3 percent per year, we will already see an organic growth of 9 more ships arriving on a monthly basis. The $40 billion LNG expansion project in BC is also projected to increase tanker traffic. TMX will support the Alberta oil sector, while having a negligible impact on the BC coast.

On C-48, the Senate proposed amendments, and we disagree with the majority of their suggested changes. They recommended an unnecessary review process 180 days after C-48 comes into force. This would have forced further consultation with coastal communities who have already given a lot of their time and energy into developing this legislation. Additionally, the Senate suggested dividing responsibility for C-48 between the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Environment, which would have blurred the lines of authority and lead to less accountability. This is a transportation issue, and it is wise for the responsibility to lie with that federal department.

Our approval of TMX and C-48 is an example of purposeful decision-making to support both the economy and the environment. We have maintained the previous moratorium on shipping oil on the north coast, while creating new opportunities for Alberta oil exports in a safe, controlled area.

I will continue to work to support the energy sector in Alberta, to create good middle class jobs for hard working families, while ensuring that our coastline is protected. The economy and the environment go hand in hand, and C-48 demonstrates this commitment to Canadians.

C-69: predictable, faster approval process 

I understand the frustrations Edmontonians and Albertans feel when it comes to the assessment process for energy projects. When you consider what the Harper government left behind after gutting environmental assessment process in 2012 with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, it is easy to see how they failed to get Alberta energy resources to non-U.S market.

With hundreds of major resource projects – worth over $500 billion in investment – planned across Canada over the next ten years, we need better rules in place to ensure projects can go forward in the right way. Let me be clear, our government is committed to getting our natural resources to market sustainably. We can only succeed with a fair and transparent review process that is based on science and proper consultation. After decades of having our top-quality oil exports go to a single buyer, our government is working to fix the Conservatives’ failure by restoring Canadians trust.

We put forward Bill C-69 to restore credibility to our environmental assessment process and ensure that good projects go ahead and create new jobs and opportunities for Edmontonians and Canadians. Our goal is to grow the economy, protect the environment, support reconciliation and meaningfully consult with Indigenous peoples.

Despite empty rhetoric from Conservatives that C-69 is a “pipeline killer”, this new law will help to diversify Canada’s energy markets, expand our energy infrastructure, drive economic growth, and get more pipeline projects built the right way, without any impasses or delays. In fact, C-69 will actually prevent projects from facing legal challenges down the line, or being denied by the Federal Court. It will also cut timelines from 720 days to 300 days for most projects, while non-designated projects will drop from 450 days to 300 days. Where CEAA 2012 looked only at adverse environmental impacts, C-69 examines the ways in which projects can help communities and ecosystems and ultimately benefit our local and national economies.

With C-69, energy project stakeholders will know if they’re going to get approved before they start construction and before they spend valuable investor resources on a project. We have had enthusiastic support from the mining sector about these proposed changes, because the process is fair, consistent, and predictable. C-69’s better rules will lead to more timely and predictable reviews, encouraging further investments in Canada’s natural resources sectors – and in Canadians all over the country.

C-69 establishes an early planning process that will require government departments and agencies to plan project assessments. A single agency, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, will lead all impact assessments for major projects, to ensure that reviews happen in partnership with Indigenous people, that communities have their voices heard, and that companies know what is required of them.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Navigable Waters Act will restore and better protect the right to travel on all navigable waters in Canada, including those that are most important to Canadians and to Indigenous peoples. Provinces, territories and other jurisdictions will be included in federal reviews through joint panels, which will save businesses 3-4 years of review time and money.

We will also replace the National Energy Board (NEB) with the Canadian Energy Regulator (CER) to help oversee a strong, safe and sustainable Canadian energy sector. These changes are consistent will our climate goals and will help companies use the most advanced technologies possible when planning energy projects to reduce impacts on the environment. For every one project, the goal will be one single review.

After careful consideration of the Senate’s 229 proposed amendments in June, we accepted 99 amendments that have strengthened and improved the legislation.

We turned down the proposed amendments from the Conservative Caucus that would have made consultations recommended and not required. We also rejected the amendments that gave provinces a veto over projects in federal jurisdiction, as well as the amendments that would make it optional to consult Indigenous Peoples. Finally, we rejected the amendment requiring the assessment of global emissions because by definition, that would mean assessing downstream emissions. These irresponsible suggestions would violate the constitution, prevent valuable investments from taking place, and take Canada backwards to the Harper era.

C-69 introduces a fair and predictable process that is based on evidence, science, and Indigenous knowledge. It will allow us to take advantage of the $500-billion opportunity of getting our natural resources to markets and create well-paying jobs for Edmontonians, Albertans and Canadians. Our better rules will create economic development, a stronger and more diverse energy sector and increased regulatory reliability and clarity. I know that the final bill will make the Canadian energy and resource sectors more competitive, protect the environment, and build on Canada’s strong economic growth, now, and going forward.

If you're looking for more information, please visit my website: https://rboissonnault.liberal.ca/news-nouvelles/myth-busting-of-c48-c69/