Montréal, October 5, 2017 – Équiterre celebrates TransCanada’s decision to put an end to its Energy East pipeline project.
“Today is an exciting day for the climate and the tens of thousands of individuals who have fought against this senseless project. This is an important day for all those who have advocated a better future on behalf of our children. We have won!” declared Sidney Ribaux, Équiterre Executive Director.
For Équiterre, this victory is the accomplishment of the unprecedented united front that has brought together civil society organizations, municipalities, farmers and citizens to rise against a project of a bygone era.
“If the Energy East project had become a reality, it would have made it practically impossible for Canada to achieve its Paris Agreement objectives with the addition of 7 million cars’ worth of GHG emissions. The end of this project is good news for both our communities and the environment,” emphasized Steven Guilbeault, Équiterre Senior Director.
Since this project was announced in 2013, public demonstrations and mobilization campaigns have been organized by environmental groups and citizens everywhere across Quebec, including Montréal, Cacouna and Québec City, as well as in Ottawa, legal actions have been taken and won, new grassroots committees have been created, hundreds of municipalities have adopted resolutions against the project and, more recently, the National Energy Board has finally agreed to heed to the demands of groups such as Équiterre to assess the project’s upstream and downstream GHG emissions.
For Équiterre, this victory brings hope to Canadians, as we grow out of the age of oil and shift to a low-carbon society and green economy by continuing to mobilize the population.
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For information:
Dale Robertson
Media Relations, Équiterre
