Claims that hydraulic fracturing has contaminated drinking water are not supported by the facts. In truth, provincial regulations and industry operating practices work to protect drinking water aquifers and surface water. Data collected by the BC Oil and Gas Commission, the provincial regulator, shows none of the approximately 9,000 wells hydraulically fractured in the province […]
Comment: Start asking the right questions
I am writing about the company Quicksilver making an application to the Canadian National Energy Board to export 20 million tones a year of liquefied natural gas from its Campbell River site. Our Mayor Walter Jakeway advises us to “watch, wait and wave the Campbell River flag” – mirroring what he said over a year ago: that […]
Comment: Tugboats should protect B.C. coast from another Exxon Valdez disaster
The federal government’s recent approval of the Northern Gateway pipeline requires the company to meet 209 tough conditions. Some of those conditions specify marine and tanker safety requirements, including provisions for both oil spill recovery and, more critically, oil spill prevention. As someone who frequently kayaks along our beautiful mid-coast, I’m well aware of the […]
Going to court over Northern Gateway
Spurred by a landmark Supreme Court decision last month a number of B.C. First Nations are launching court challenges to stop the Northern Gateway pipeline. Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs Grand Chief Stewart Phillip told CBC, “when I am standing out on the land … shoulder to shoulder, it’s not going to be for a […]
Making a splash by conserving water
One of the concerns critics of the oil industry have is water usage in Alberta and B.C. That is particularly true in shale gas plays where fracking is used to get at the resource. Shell Canada is looking at ways to alleviate that. The company has a natural gas site called Groundbirch in northeastern B.C. […]
Kinder Morgan accused of not being forthright
The city of Vancouver, province of B.C. and others are saying the company that wants to build the Trans Mountain pipeline is avoiding a number of questions during the regulatory review. Kinder Morgan was given a long list with about 4-hundred questions on it. When the oil company responded to only 250, well that didn’t […]
CAPP applauds Supreme Court decision for clearing up a muddy issue
The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) is expecting greater clarity now when its members have business deals with First Nations. This is in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling 8-0 giving the Tsilhqot’in B.C. title to their land. A V.P. with CAPP, Alex Ferguson, told CBC the ruling should help project coordinators when […]
British Columbia Conservative MPs targets of protest
B.C. MP’s James Moore and Andrew Saxton are being blamed by some for the approval of the Northern Gateway pipeline by the Harper Government. Members with “Settlers on Stolen Land” slapped padlocks and chains on Saxton and Moore’s constituency offices and told the government members to leave. The protestors are angry over what they claim […]