44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 30, 2023441-00850441-00850 (Natural resources and energy)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCNovember 18, 2022January 30, 2023February 3, 2020Petition to the Government of CanadaTHEREFORE, we, the undersigned, RESIDENTS OF CANADA, call upon the GOVERNMENT OF CANADA to immediately halt any plans to purchase the Trans Mountain pipeline or otherwise support its expansion.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government thanks the petitioners for expressing their views about Canada’s purchase of the Trans Mountain Corporation (TMC) as well as views on TMC’s Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMEP).TMEP is creating thousands of good, middle-class jobs; it will unlock new global markets in order to get a fair price for Canadian energy, and help advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, including through economic opportunity.With around 75 percent of the pipeline already built and the project significantly de-risked, TMEP as it stands today is very different from the project that Kinder Morgan proposed in 2017. It has been designed to a higher standard for environmental protection, undergone rigorous consultation with Indigenous groups and will support union jobs in British Columbia and Alberta. These enhancements have improved TMEP, ensured that construction proceeds in the right way, and that it will support the Canadian economy today and into the future.The project is also creating economic benefits for many Indigenous communities through contracting, financial compensation, and employment and training opportunities. To date, TMC has signed 69 agreements with 86 Indigenous communities worth over $650 million, and the project will generate over $4.2 billion in Indigenous-based contract awards. 
NationalizationOil and gasTrans Mountain pipeline
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 21, 2022441-00120441-00120 (Natural resources and energy)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCFebruary 2, 2022March 21, 2022February 3, 2020PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWe, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:THAT, WHEREAS the Trudeau administration has announced it will spend $4.5 billion of public funds on acquiring the existing Trans Mountain pipeline from Kinder Morgan;WHEREAS this $4.5 billion is not inclusive of construction costs for the expansion, projected to increase the cost of the deal to over $11 billion; WHEREAS the pipeline was valued at $550 million by Kinder Morgan in 2007; WHEREAS the expansion still has to pass the National Energy Board's 157 conditions and over a dozen court challenges before it can be built; WHEREAS during the election, Trudeau promised to overhaul the Harper administration's deeply flawed pipeline approval process, respect Indigenous rights, and end fossil fuel subsidies; WHEREAS a diluted bitumen spill would devastate local ecosystems and economies on the West Coast, or any area surrounding the 800 bodies of water its path crosses; WHEREAS there is no proven way to clean up a diluted bitumen spill in a marine environment; WHEREAS shipping out unprocessed diluted bitumen to refineries in other countries ships out Canadian jobs; and WHEREAS the Trans Mountain expansion will; lock in oil-sands production growth that cannot be reconciled with Canada's greenhouse gas emissions reduction commitments, increase the risk of a diluted bitumen spill, violate the rights of Indigenous communities along the pipeline route, threaten Indigenous communities reliant on the marine environment for their livelihood and cultural practices THEREFORE, we, the undersigned, RESIDENTS OF CANADA, call upon the GOVERNMENT OF CANADA to immediately halt any plans to purchase the Trans Mountain pipeline or otherwise support its expansion.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government thanks the petitioners for expressing their views about Canada’s purchase of the Trans Mountain Corporation (TMC) as well as views on TMC’s Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMEP).On June 18, 2019, the Government of Canada approved TMEP by directing the Canada Energy Regulator to issue a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity and Environmental Assessment Decision Statement related to TMEP.The environment and the economy go hand-in-hand. When we create prosperity today, we can invest in the clean jobs, technologies, and infrastructure of the future—and help Canadians benefit from opportunities presented by a rapidly changing economy.The key to creating prosperity is finding new markets for our businesses to sell their products and services. Nowhere is the need to diversify greater than for our energy sector, where 99 per cent of our conventional resources are sold to one market—and often at large discounts. Canadians understand that we need to open up new international markets, in order to get a full and fair price, support workers and their families, and foster competitiveness.The Government’s approval of TMEP was based on the confidence that:
  • Strong environmental protections have been and continue to be put in place, and that the effects of TMEP can be mitigated through conditions and recommendations outlined by the National Energy Board, as well as measures including the historic $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan and the national climate plan.
  • Consultations with Indigenous peoples involved meaningful, two-way dialogue, which fulfilled the legal duty to consult and helped identify new accommodation measures and conditions to appropriately address potential impacts on Indigenous rights and concerns expressed by Indigenous communities.
On February 18, 2022, TMC announced that its Board of Directors had approved a total cost estimate of $21.4 billion to bring TMEP into service by the end of 2023. With 50 per cent of the pipeline already built and the project significantly de-risked, the government will spend no additional public money on the project, and TMC will instead secure the funding necessary to complete the project with third-party financing, either in the public debt markets or with financial institutions.The government has engaged both BMO Capital Markets and TD Securities to provide advice on financial aspects of the project. Their analyses confirms that public financing for the project is a feasible option that can be implemented promptly.  They have also confirmed that the project remains commercially viable. There remains strong interest from prospective purchasers in operational infrastructure assets like the Trans Mountain Expansion Project, underpinned as it is by 20-year shipper contracts.TMEP as it stands today is very different from the project that Kinder Morgan proposed in 2017. It has been designed to a higher standard for environmental protection, undergone rigorous consultation with Indigenous groups and will support union jobs in B.C. and Alberta. These enhancements have improved TMEP, ensured that construction proceeds in the right way, and that it will support the Canadian economy today and into the future.The project is also creating economic benefits for many Indigenous communities through contracting, financial compensation, and employment and training opportunities. To date, TMC has signed 69 agreements with 75 Indigenous communities worth over $580 million, and the project will generate over $2.7 billion in Indigenous-based contract awards. The government has also been engaging affected Indigenous communities on further economic participation in Trans Mountain for more than two years, and will continue to move forward on that objective. By moving forward with TMEP, the Government is creating jobs, diversifying markets, accelerating Canada’s clean energy transition, and opening up new avenues for Indigenous economic prosperity.
NationalizationOil and gasTrans Mountain pipeline
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 31, 2022441-00076441-00076 (Natural resources and energy)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABDecember 14, 2021January 31, 2022February 19, 2021Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas, Canadian oil and gas producers are global environmental leaders;Whereas, Canadian oil is produced to the highest environmental standards in the world, and the Government needs to acknowledge the industry's pioneering efforts.Whereas, Oil sands producers reduced GHG emissions intensity by 28% from 2000 to 2017. Whereas, Oil & Gas is Canada's leading export and the number one private sector investor in the Canadian economy, representing 5.4% of Canada's GDP.Whereas, Oil sands producers have spent $13 billion with Indigenous-owned businesses since 2012, including a record $2.1 billion in 2018.Whereas, The Trans Mountain Expansion Project provided almost 8,000 jobs and contributed $76 million in personal, corporate, and sales tax. At its peak, the Project will employ 17,050 Canadian workers. Whereas, Trans Mountain Expansion was needed yesterday to get our resources to market. The continued uncertainty of Canada's ability to get our energy products to tidewater erodes global trust in Canada's energy sector.Whereas, The Fraser Institute indicates that Canada loses $16 billion annually because of lack of access to diverse markets for our oil. And the Parliamentary Budget Officer identifies that the Trans Mountain Expansion Project will mitigate this loss by $6 billion annually.Whereas, pipelines are the safest way and cleanest way to transport oil and gas;Therefore we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to expedite the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.
Response by the Minister of Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, P.C., M.P.The Government of Canada approved the Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMX, or the Project) in 2019 because it is in the public interest. When approving the Project, the Government of Canada considered a wide variety of information, including the latest evidence-based science and the review by the Canada Energy Regulator (formerly the National Energy Board), regarding the Project’s impacts on the environment. The Government of Canada also reviewed and considered the results of extensive consultations with 129 Indigenous groups. The Project is important to Canada’s economic future and, once complete, will facilitate increased exports to global markets, thus ensuring producers receive a fair price for petroleum products.Construction on the Project has continued during the COVID-19 pandemic, in full compliance with public health orders and directives. Necessary health and safety measures are in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among workers and communities. Construction is well underway across British Columbia and Alberta, creating more than 12,600 middle-class jobs—including over 1,200 jobs for Indigenous workers. As of December 22, 2021, construction of TMX is approximately 43 percent complete, with over 340 kilometres of new pipeline in the ground. The anticipated in-service-date for the TMX Project is December 31, 2022.The Government of Canada is collaborating with all levels of government, Indigenous communities, federal and provincial regulators, and Trans Mountain Corporation to ensure that all necessary permits and regulatory authorizations are in place. On September 22, 2021, the Canada Energy Regulator issued its final order, approving all 1,147 kilometres of the Project’s route.While Canada transitions to a sustainable energy future, Canadians will still rely on access to oil and gas for their daily needs, including heating and transportation. Collaboration and consultation with the natural resource sector is essential in establishing the path towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, while promoting the development of good jobs and a prosperous clean economy.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government thanks the petitioners for expressing their views about the importance of the oil and gas sector to the Canadian economy as well as views on expediting the Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMEP).The environment and the economy go hand-in-hand. When we create prosperity today, we can invest in the clean jobs, technologies, and infrastructure of the future — and help Canadians benefit from opportunities presented by a rapidly changing economy.The key to creating prosperity is finding new markets for our businesses to sell their products and services. Nowhere is the need to diversify greater than for our energy sector, where 99 per cent of our conventional resources are sold to one market — and often at large discounts. Canadians understand that we need to open up new international markets, in order to get a full and fair price, support workers and their families, and foster competitiveness.The Government is confident that the TMEP will generate a positive return for Canadians.TMEP as it stands today is very different from the project that Kinder Morgan proposed in 2017. It has been designed to a higher standard for environmental protection, undergone rigorous consultation with Indigenous groups and will support union jobs in B.C. and Alberta. These enhancements have improved TMEP, ensured that construction proceeds in the right way, and that it will support the Canadian economy today and into the future.The Government also announced that every dollar the federal government earns from TMEP will be invested in Canada’s clean energy transition. It is estimated that additional tax revenues from TMEP alone could generate $500 million per year once the project has been completed. This money will be invested in clean energy projects that will power our homes, businesses, and communities for generations to come.
Oil and gasTrans Mountain pipeline
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 31, 2022441-00040441-00040 (Natural resources and energy)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCDecember 7, 2021January 31, 2022February 3, 2020Petition to the Government of CanadaTHEREFORE, we, the undersigned, RESIDENTS OF CANADA, call upon the GOVERNMENT OF CANADA to immediately halt any plans to purchase the Trans Mountain pipeline or otherwise support its expansion.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government thanks the petitioners for expressing their views about Canada making additional investments in the Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMEP).The environment and the economy go hand-in-hand. When we create prosperity today, we can invest in the clean jobs, technologies, and infrastructure of the future — and help Canadians benefit from opportunities presented by a rapidly changing economy.The key to creating prosperity is finding new markets for our businesses to sell their products and services. Nowhere is the need to diversify greater than for our energy sector, where 99 per cent of our conventional resources are sold to one market — and often at large discounts.Canadians understand that we need to open up new international markets, in order to get a full and fair price, support workers and their families, and foster competitiveness.The Government’s approval of TMEP was based on the confidence that:
  • strong environmental protections have been and continue to be put in place, and that the effects of TMEP can be mitigated through conditions and recommendations outlined by the National Energy Board, as well as measures including the historic $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan and the national climate plan.
  • consultations with Indigenous peoples involved meaningful, two-way dialogue, which fulfilled the legal duty to consult and helped identify new accommodation measures and conditions to appropriately address potential impacts on Indigenous rights.
Once TMEP enters into service, TMC expects to earn tolls that more than cover the cost of constructing the TMEP. These tolls are underwritten by long-term agreements with shippers for 80 per cent of TMEP’s capacity for 15 and 20 years. The final toll charged to shippers will be determined only after the TMEP enters into service based on the final construction cost.Trans Mountain’s experience with the current pipeline system also demonstrates the robust demand for export capacity to tidewater. Since the onset of the global pandemic in March 2020 and a corresponding collapse in oil demand, the Trans Mountain pipeline continued to be fully utilized while other pipelines struggle with demand.In addition, the Government launched the second step of its engagement process with Indigenous groups on June 9, 2020, to explore the possibility of Indigenous economic participation in the Project. In this step of the engagement process, the Government is focused on building consensus on the form of economic participation in the Project preferred by participating Indigenous groups; and identifying or supporting the formation of one or more entities to represent participating Indigenous groups in negotiations with Canada.By moving forward with TMEP, the Government is creating jobs, diversifying markets, accelerating Canada’s clean energy transition, and opening up new avenues for Indigenous economic prosperity.
NationalizationOil and gasTrans Mountain pipeline
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 31, 2022441-00004441-00004 (Natural resources and energy)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCNovember 24, 2021January 31, 2022February 3, 2020PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWe, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:THAT, WHEREAS the Trudeau administration has announced it will spend $4.5 billion of public funds on acquiring the existing Trans Mountain pipeline from Kinder Morgan;WHEREAS this $4.5 billion is not inclusive of construction costs for the expansion, projected to increase the cost of the deal to over $11 billion; WHEREAS the pipeline was valued at $550 million by Kinder Morgan in 2007; WHEREAS the expansion still has to pass the National Energy Board's 157 conditions and over a dozen court challenges before it can be built; WHEREAS during the election, Trudeau promised to overhaul the Harper administration's deeply flawed pipeline approval process, respect Indigenous rights, and end fossil fuel subsidies; WHEREAS a diluted bitumen spill would devastate local ecosystems and economies on the West Coast, or any area surrounding the 800 bodies of water its path crosses; WHEREAS there is no proven way to clean up a diluted bitumen spill in a marine environment; WHEREAS shipping out unprocessed diluted bitumen to refineries in other countries ships out Canadian jobs; and WHEREAS the Trans Mountain expansion will; lock in oil-sands production growth that cannot be reconciled with Canada's greenhouse gas emissions reduction commitments, increase the risk of a diluted bitumen spill, violate the rights of Indigenous communities along the pipeline route, threaten Indigenous communities reliant on the marine environment for their livelihood and cultural practices THEREFORE, we, the undersigned, RESIDENTS OF CANADA, call upon the GOVERNMENT OF CANADA to immediately halt any plans to purchase the Trans Mountain pipeline or otherwise support its expansion.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government thanks the petitioners for expressing their views about Canada making additional investments in the Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMEP).The environment and the economy go hand-in-hand. When we create prosperity today, we can invest in the clean jobs, technologies, and infrastructure of the future — and help Canadians benefit from opportunities presented by a rapidly changing economy.The key to creating prosperity is finding new markets for our businesses to sell their products and services. Nowhere is the need to diversify greater than for our energy sector, where 99 per cent of our conventional resources are sold to one market — and often at large discounts.Canadians understand that we need to open up new international markets, in order to get a full and fair price, support workers and their families, and foster competitiveness.The Government’s approval of TMEP was based on the confidence that:
  • strong environmental protections have been and continue to be put in place, and that the effects of TMEP can be mitigated through conditions and recommendations outlined by the National Energy Board, as well as measures including the historic $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan and the national climate plan.
  • consultations with Indigenous peoples involved meaningful, two-way dialogue, which fulfilled the legal duty to consult and helped identify new accommodation measures and conditions to appropriately address potential impacts on Indigenous rights and concerns expressed by Indigenous communities.
Once TMEP enters into service, TMC expects to earn tolls that more than cover the cost of constructing the TMEP. These tolls are underwritten by long-term agreements with shippers for 80 per cent of TMEP’s capacity for 15 and 20 years. The final toll charged to shippers will be determined only after the TMEP enters into service based on the final construction cost.Trans Mountain’s experience with the current pipeline system also demonstrates the robust demand for export capacity to tidewater. Since the onset of the global pandemic in March 2020 and a corresponding collapse in oil demand, the Trans Mountain pipeline continued to be fully utilized while other pipelines struggle with demand.In addition, the Government launched the second step of its engagement process with Indigenous groups on June 9, 2020, to explore the possibility of Indigenous economic participation in the Project. In this step of the engagement process, the Government is focused on building consensus on the form of economic participation in the Project preferred by participating Indigenous groups; and identifying or supporting the formation of one or more entities to represent participating Indigenous groups in negotiations with Canada.By moving forward with TMEP, the Government is creating jobs, diversifying markets, accelerating Canada’s clean energy transition, and opening up new avenues for Indigenous economic prosperity.
NationalizationOil and gasTrans Mountain pipeline