Is Canada prepared for an oil disaster?

VICTORIA — A ring of proposed pipeline and resource development projects surrounding Vancouver Island would dramatically increase the number of tankers and freighters in nearby waterways, and there are growing fears — on both sides of the border — that Canada is not prepared to deal with a major oil spill.

Projects in the works include Enbridge’s Northern Gateway and Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipelines, the Gateway Pacific Terminal in Washington and the Raven Underground Coal Project in Vancouver Island’s Comox Valley.

If approved, many more tankers would ply waters near Vancouver Island.

Sheila Malcolmson, chairwoman of the Islands Trust, the land-use and planning agency for British Columbia’s Gulf Islands, said she has peppered the federal government with questions about oil spill response plans.

"We are told that successful (spill cleanups) recover 10 to 15 per cent of the oil, so our first priority has to be advocacy around preventing spills in the first place," Malcolmson said.

"Then, the other area of concern is, when there’s a spill, what is the capacity for cleaning it up? The more we learn about that, the more worried we are."

There have been federal assurances that precautions will be in place before projects are approved, but the Islands Trust says those have been short on specifics.

In a reply to Malcolmson, Transport Minister Denis Lebel wrote: "The government of Canada is continuing to refine and improve its Ship-source Marine Oil Spill Preparedness and Response Regime, particularly with respect to spill response."

Canada’s ability to respond to spills has caused concerns about a potential increase in tanker traffic south of the border, as well.

The proposed projects have prompted Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell to ask for an analysis of cross-border spill readiness.

"It seems that Canada’s oil spill response plan in the Pacific Northwest is to call the Americans," Cantwell told a subcommittee hearing last year in Washington.

Adding to concerns was a report from the auditor general of Canada, which found in December 2010 that the Canadian Coast Guard, the lead agency and monitor for marine spills from ships, was not ready to respond to a major spill.

The report cited incomplete risk assessments and out-of-date emergency response plans — concerns have now been addressed, coast guard spokesman Dan Bate said.

"It is important to note that this audit highlighted administrative, reporting and management framework challenges and not the CCG’s operational ability to respond to pollution incidents in Canada’s marine environments," Bate said.

Federal budget measures introduced in March, which reduced environmental oversight, including the closing of B.C.’s command centre for emergency oil spills, also increased concern.

But Sau Sau Liu, communications spokeswoman for Transport Canada, said the budget also included $35.7 million to "enhance the existing inspection regime, by strengthening vessel inspection requirements."

Provincial Environment Minister Terry Lake said he is keeping a close eye on cleanup capabilities.

"With increased traffic, and especially with tankers, obviously, the level of response capability has to increase," he said.

The province is doing a technical analysis of the Enbridge proposal with an emphasis on response to potential spills, Lake said.

"We have said to the federal minister— and this is absolutely non-negotiable — that we have to have a very high level of response capability to even consider support for these types of proposals," he said.

"We are acutely aware that, whether it’s a pipeline or increased traffic through Burrard (Inlet), that British Columbians want to be assured that risks are absolutely minimized and resources dedicated to that spill are adequate."

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Author: Judith Lavoie