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Find out why citizens are opposing this pipeline, which would bring tar sands crude through Quebec.
Energy East: What is it?
The TransCanada company wants to convert an existing natural gas pipeline to carry crude oil from Alberta and Saskatchewan to Ontario, and to build a new pipeline from Cornwall, Ontario to Saint John, New Brunswick. The project would bring 1.1 million barrels of crude oil per day through nine regions of Quebec – three times as much oil as the province uses daily.
It is scary because...
Quebec would become a pathway for crude oil from the tar sands. It would assume many of the risks with very few economic benefits. And it would enable expansion in the tar sands, making it hard for Canada to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. This last point is all the more worrying in light of the recent finding from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that human activity is very likely responsible for all global warming that has been observed since 1951.
Pipeline spills are another concern. Tar sands crude is much heavier than conventional crude. To make it easier to transport, it is diluted with such toxins as benzene and toluene, both of which have been recognized as carcinogens by the World Health Organization. Unlike conventional crude, heavy crude sinks in water, which can complicate clean-up and cause irreparable damage to ecosystems.
What you can do
Equiterre has joined forces with the Association québécoise de lutte contre la pollution atmosphérique (AQLPA) to hold a series of information sessions that are open to the public. Join in to learn about the risks... and the alternatives!
Upcoming meetings:
- Monday, November 4, 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., salle Jobin, Complexe municipal, 200, route de Fossambault, St-Augustin-de-Desmaures.
- Thursday, November 7, 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., salle Bon-Pasteur, Maison de la Culture de Rivière-du-Loup, 67 du Rocher, Rivière-du-Loup.
Equiterre is also organizing a meeting for citizens in Quebec City:
- Thursday, October 24, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., salle 322 - 324, 870, avenue de Salaberry, Quebec City. RSVP to Geneviève Puskas at gpuskas@equiterre.org
Credit: Olivier D. Asselin. Video and information sessions in French only.
