The federal and Alberta governments and the oil industry argue that pipelines to tidewater will unlock new markets where Canadian oil can command a better price than in the US, where the majority of Canadian oil is currently exported.
Both governments have approved Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain Expansion Project, but a new report finds that several assumptions that led to the pipeline’s approval are questionable and that a ‘tidewater premium’ does not exist.
The report notes that increasing oil and gas production while trying to reduce carbon emissions are conflicting priorities, and that Canada has no energy strategy beyond liquidating its remaining resources as fast as possible.
What Canada needs is a comprehensive energy strategy that addresses both the future energy security of Canadians and the country's commitments on climate change, the report explains.
The report can be found at: policyalternatives.ca/tidewater-access