Kinder Morgan’s Trans-Mountain pipeline system has carried oil over the Rocky Mountains to a refinery in Burnaby since 1953. In the mid-2000’s, the company added a second pipeline running parallel to the first to increase capacity. In 2013 Kinder Morgan filed an application to build another pipeline to run roughly parallel to the first that, when complete, will nearly triple barrels of oil moving from Alberta to B.C.’s lower mainland daily. The Federal government, which has jurisdiction in such matters, approved the project, as did the National Energy Board after assessing and imposing many rigorous environmental safety measures. However, the B.C. provincial government appears to be doing everything in its power, as well as outside of its powers, to block the project. Obviously there are politics at play because B.C.’s NDP minority government only exists as long as it has the support of the 3 member Green Party caucus in the legislature, and the Greens will move heaven and earth to prevent new oil pipelines no matter how beneficial to the economy. Now Alberta says it will cut off oil exports to B.C. which would cause gas prices in that province to skyrocket to unheard of levels. Our province is backing Alberta with the premier saying if Alberta turns off the taps, Saskatchewan won’t be here to fill those B.C. fuel tanks. A recent poll shows the majority of B.C. residents favour the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion so it will be interesting to see how that province’s premier and his Green party comrade get out of this situation without egg on their faces.

That’s Coffeetalk. I’m Vic Dubois.