I was thrilled to hear that Line 3 by Enbridge is ready to send our valuable and ethical energy to the United States. Energy Minister Sonya Savage shared the great news with us on Sept. 29. This project was a $9.3 billion project by Calgary-based Enbridge and is 1,713 kilometers. This is expected to be able to transport around 760,000 barrels a day by the end of October.
The usual groups, such as the Sierra Club, are opposed to pipelines and expressed their feelings on oil and gas. A major reason our United Conservative government received a strong mandate from Albertans is to stand up for our hydrocarbon industry and get pipelines built. We know that pipelines are the most efficient, and safest way to transport our oil.
The previous NDP government wanted to transport crude by rail. The opposition claims to support the environment, but we know that pipelines are much more environmentally friendly than transporting crude by rail. Line 3 will take oil from Edmonton, to Enbridge’s terminal in Superior, Wisconsin. The project replaced an aging pipeline with a new pipeline equipped with state-of-the-art technology and safety measures to protect the environment.
It is also the result of rigorous regulatory processes in both Canada and the United States. It took nearly seven years of planning and involved unprecedented levels of community engagement and participation, on both sides of the border, during its construction – especially with Indigenous communities and businesses. In fact, more than 1,100 Indigenous men and women worked on its construction and it generated more than $400 million in Indigenous economic benefits.
I also want to bring your attention to some great work being done by the Canadian Energy Centre. The CEC launched a campaign in the United States to bring Americans’ attention to Canadian energy. We all know within hours of being sworn into office, President Biden issued an executive order, which revoked the cross-border permit for the Keystone XL pipeline.
Considering that the pipeline would have started in Hardisty, I was personally disappointed, not just for our province and country, but for our residents because we know the number of local jobs the project would have created. To further rub salt in the wounds, the US President also recently asked OPEC+ to ship more oil to the states.
The CEC is advertising on billboards in major cities, such as New York and Washington DC. It will direct viewers to www.friendlyenergy.com where the American people can learn the facts about where their oil comes from. Statistics say the United States uses about nine million barrels per-day and they do not have the capacity to fill that need domestically.
We want to make our neighbours to the south aware that by getting in touch with their representatives in congress, they can have access to energy from an ally and friend in Canada. Why would the president want to import oil from countries like Saudi Arabia, Russia, or Venezuela who have a fraction of the human rights and environmental standards that we do?
I am optimistic this campaign will inform Americans exactly where their oil is coming from. There will always be a need for hydrocarbon energy. Our government and I, strongly believe it should be coming from Alberta. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact my office. We are always here for you.