Quebec Mayors Oppose Energy East
MONTREAL–Mayor Denis Coderre today announced his opposition to TransCanada’s Energy East pipeline at a news conference in Montreal today.
Coderre previously expressed concerns about the mega-project, although he never voiced formal opposition to it. He was joined today in opposing the pipeline by other Quebec civic leaders including the mayors of Laval, Longueuil, Repentigny Candiac, Lachine and Saint-Laurent.
In a news conference broadcast live, Coderre described the project as posing too many risks for the environment and too few benefits for the economy.
“I think that we’ve done our homework. Individually, every municipality took a look at that, the ones who were touched by it, but at the end of the day, it’s all about our character and we (need to) find out a way to build up an inclusive process where citizens have the opportunity to give their point of view,” he said. “We want to have … some benchmark regarding public safety, regarding the true economic impact, regarding the way where it will pass. It’s also about (being) consistent in our own plan … It’s not just economy yes, environment no, it’s no at every level.”
This marks another challenge for the embattled project.
The Energy East pipeline would bring 1.1. million barrels of crude oil from Alberta to the Irving Oil refinery and an export terminal in Saint John. TransCanada says construction of the pipeline would create nearly 10,000 jobs, and the operation of the pipeline would create 900 permanent jobs.
In December, the company increased the estimated cost of the project to nearly $16 billion.
New Brunswick’s premier Brian Gallant supports the project, as does the Mayor of Saint John.