Enbridge Inc. CEO Al Monaco told media June 5 that he retains hope that his company’s proposed $6 billion Northern Gateway pipeline will eventually get the go-ahead to carry Asia-bound oil from Alberta through B.C.
Last week, the B.C. government formally rejected Enbridge’s current proposal for the pipeline in its final written submission to the National Energy Board (NEB) because it said the pipeline did not meet environmental criteria and that B.C. taxpayers would be unfairly on the hook in case there is a spill.
The federal government’s chief minister for B.C., James Moore, then told media that his government would not attempt to push through the pipeline over B.C. government objections.
Monaco said June 5, after attending a NEB pipeline safety forum, that neither of those setbacks was a blow.
“As a matter of fact, I think the B.C. position is pretty much what they’ve stated, which is they want to see more information,” he said.
“They’re going to input their views to the joint-review panel process and, as I said before, we see it as a pretty good roadmap to get things done.”
By Glen Korstrom