PSAC urges the Government of Canada to uphold the rule of law and our Constitution

Calgary, Alberta (February 5, 2018) – The Petroleum Services Association of Canada (PSAC) is extremely disappointed and concerned that the Government of British Columbia has announced that it is proposing “a second phase of regulations to improve preparedness, response and recovery from potential spills” related to pipelines transporting liquid petroleum products. Over two years, stringent research and studies were conducted by the National Energy Board, the Canadian Energy Assessment Agency and the BC Environmental Assessment Office for the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline. The result of this rigorous process was to approve the expansion of Trans Mountain and to declare it to be in the national interest by the Government of Canada.

Further proposed study and regulations by the BC government can only be viewed as yet another tactic to deny to land-locked provinces, vital access to tidewater that BC freely enjoys and all while pursuing export opportunities for its own petroleum products. “This is not the time for inter-provincial trade wars as we pursue free trade agreements with the US and Asian countries,” says Mark Salkeld, President & CEO of PSAC. “Now is the time for the Government of Canada to uphold Canadian rule of law and our constitution.”

“Investment capital is already fleeing Canada due to competitive concerns. Lack of certainty for major project development and infrastructure will not help but only serve to drive away even more potential investment and with it Canadian jobs and economic prosperity,” continued Mark Salkeld.

The oil and natural gas industry is the leading contributor of private capital investment in this country supporting over 640,000 jobs across the country and thousands of businesses, including over 700 in BC. The industry’s responsible development of our natural resources also provides the funds for technical innovation, research and development and clean-tech to improve environmental performance and reduce GHG emissions.

Canada is already losing billions of dollars a year having only the US as its one customer for oil and natural gas negatively affecting job creation and funding for health care and education while the US moves to become a leading exporter, reaping benefits that could be ours.

“Pipelines are the safest way to transport our energy which supplies us with the fuel we need for our vehicles, planes and transport for our food and other products; the fuel that provides us with our quality of life that so many take for granted and that those in developing countries who live in energy poverty can only dream of,” says Scott Van Vliet, Chair of PSAC and CEO of Environmental Refuelling Systems Inc. “We may want to move to renewable energy but it will take years and right now we need all forms of energy. Canada has one of the most robust regulatory regimes in the world with leading environmental standards. Canadians should be proud to supply the world with our responsibly developed oil and natural gas for a better quality of life.”
The Petroleum Services Association of Canada is the national trade association representing the service, supply and manufacturing sectors within the upstream petroleum industry. As the voice of Canada’s petroleum service, supply and manufacturing sector, PSAC advocates for its members to enable the continued innovation, technological advancement and in-the-field experience they supply to Canada’s energy explorers and producers, helping to increase efficiency, improve safety and protect the environment.

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PSAC Media Contact:
Mark Salkeld
President & CEO
Email: media@psac.ca
Phone: 403.264.4195

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