Read this article on former Bank of Canada Governor David Dodge’s recent speech at Edmonton’s McEwan University, in which he questioned the fundamentals and viability of the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline – suggesting instead that Tar Sands producers look to supply oil-importing Eastern Canadian provinces with Alberta bitumen. (May 1, 2012)
EDMONTON – The former Governor of the Bank of Canada says it may make more sense to ship Alberta’s bitumen to Eastern Canada, in view of the vocal opposition to two proposed pipeline projects to the West Coast.
“I think it’s going to be difficult, right. You’ve got all the loony tunes in Vancouver who don’t want to see Kinder Morgan’s pipeline expanded,” said David Dodge, in an interview with the Journal.
Dodge, who was in Edmonton Tuesday to deliver a speech on the global economic outlook at MacEwan University, said Enbridge’s proposed Northern Gateway pipeline to Kitimat looks like even more of a long shot.
“I think the project to Kitimat looks, objectively, more risky. So why hasn’t much greater effort gone into looking at Prince Rupert and taking (bitumen) out that way? My guess is, the easiest place to get B.C. to buy into the project would be to go to Rupert.”
Dodge’s views echo those of former Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed, who also favours looking at an alternate pipeline route to Prince Rupert, where ocean-going supertankers can navigate more easily.
But given the level of opposition to any oilsands pipelines in B.C., where Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson has been among the harshest critics of the Kinder Morgan project, Dodge said it may be more feasible to simply ship bitumen east.
“You’ve got to get the stuff out of here somehow, and not necessarily send it all south (to the U.S.). And maybe it’s going to be difficult for other reasons to send it west. So I’m intrigued with the option of getting it to tidewater going east,” he said.