Trans Mountain Pricing Could Break the Bank—or Break the Canada Energy Regulator

Trans Mountain Corporation’s attempt to minimize costs for its pipeline customers could force the Canada Energy Regulator (CER) to choose between undermining its own core mandate as a regulator or increasing the cost of shipping oil sands crude out of Alberta by about $22 per barrel, a new analysis concludes.

In its June 1 application, federally-owned Trans Mountain asked the CER to approve an interim version of the tolls it will charge its oil sands industry customers when the expanded pipeline goes into operation. The company projected the pipeline will open in the first three months of 2024, and requested a decision on its toll proposal by September 14.

The new analysis was shared with The Energy Mix by West Coast Environmental Law staff lawyer Eugene Kung, acting on behalf of səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation). TWN territory is ground zero for the expansion project and related infrastructure, including the Westridge Marine Terminal and the controversial and potentially calamitous Burnaby Mountain Tank Farm.

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