Natural gas pipeline approval process through Vaughan raises some concern
Yorkregion.com
Feb. 21, 2014
By Tim Kelly
A proposal by TransCanada to connect a natural gas pipeline between an Enbridge Gas Distribution Meter Station south of Hwy. 407 and TransCanada’s main line at Major Mackenzie Drive drew sharp criticism from a Vaughan regional councillor at an open house Thursday night.
Veteran Vaughan politician Michael Di Biase wondered why the connector line, which would stretch for about 11-kilometres along private and public property throughout the western section of Vaughan, is proposed to go through wetlands, detention ponds and environmental sensitive areas.
"They’re crisscrossing and it’s ridiculous,” he said.
The new pipeline, dubbed King’s North Connection, would connect into the mainline, which currently snakes northwest through Vaughan, very close to massive new subdivisions being built south of Nashville Road, west of Hwy. 27.
The regional councillor, who is running for re-election this year, also indicated he’s not happy TransCanada, the company behind the controversial $5.6-billion Keystone X-L pipeline linking Alberta tarsands oil with refineries in the United States, can come here and expropriate land.
"We don’t have any appeal recourse," Mr. Di Biase said. "I think we’re at a disadvantage here."
Sharan Kaur, general communications specialist for TransCanada, said the pipeline will create 400 local construction jobs and generate local spending and tax revenues for the city.
She said approvals from the National Energy Board (NEB) will go through a process expected to take up to 15 months and begin later this summer.
“Once we file an application, we will file for approval. The NEB will set out the process and there’s two criteria: you either have to have expertise relative to the application or you have to be relevant to the application. That might be affected parties or landowners that will determine if your application is complete.
“If it is deficient in any way, they (NEB) will reject it. If they deem it complete, everything will be on the public record and the NEB’s mandate will be to assess the project. They will assess the environmental impacts, the socioeconomic impacts, public consultation, commercial interests, landowner interests and they determine if the project is in the Canadian public interest,” Ms Kaur said.
TransCanada is planning to submit its application to the NEB by July and hope to start construction of the pipeline by spring 2015.
It hopes to have construction complete and the pipeline in service by winter 2015.
The NEB is currently investigating a natural gas pipeline rupture in west-central Alberta.
The federal regulator said a TransCanada pipe broke Tuesday morning about 10 kilometres north of Rocky Mountain House.
It said the pipe was shut down and there were no immediate public safety concerns.
A TransCanada pipeline explosion in Manitoba last month left about 3,600 homes and businesses without heat for several days in -20 C temperatures.
Here on Thursday evening, TransCanada officials went to great lengths to explain the safety measures the company takes to ensure it prevents leaks from happening.
“We are here to find out defects that could potentially lead to leaks. It’s not enough to just be worried about leaks from an operational point of view. It's much more important to appreciate the lines of defences we have and the programs we have and inspection intervals we have in place to say you must inspect and understand our corrosion growth models. Of course, we would highlight leaks and failures, we’re hear to prevent that,” said Ms Kaur.
“As well, with the monitoring, if gas control notices a drop in pressure somewhere, there’s a leak. They get notified right away. If gas control notices a leak, those things just shut off right away and take the gas off,” she added.
