CAODC disappointed with TransCanada pipeline cancellations

The Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors (CAODC) is &ldquo;extremely disappointed, but not surprised&rdquo; at TransCanada&rsquo;s cancellation of the Energy East pipeline and Eastern Mainline projects. In a statement released on 5 October, TransCanada announced the cancellation of the Energy East pipeline and Eastern Mainline projects. This August, despite a comprehensive, expensive, and collaborative effort on TransCanada&rsquo;s behalf, the five year application process &ndash; which included hundreds of community open houses and meetings, hundreds of consultation sessions with Indigenous communities along the route, and saw support from thousands of Canadians across the country &ndash; encountered yet another hurdle with the National Energy Board&rsquo;s (NEB) decision to include upstream and downstream emissions in the project review.The NEB previously stated it would &ldquo;consider upstream and downstream greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) in determining whether these projects are in the public interest.&rdquo; The release went on to indicate that &ldquo;This decision follows a comment period during which about 820 submissions were received.&rdquo;&ldquo;We are extremely disappointed, but not surprised at [the] announcement,&rdquo; says CAODC President, Mark Scholz.Referring to petition E-216, tabled at the House of Commons in September of 2016 in support of Canadian oil and gas and pipelines, Scholz points out that &ldquo;It&rsquo;s sad, confusing, and frustrating when 820 letters can lead to derailing a project supported by thousands of Canadians across the country; a project with the potential to provide thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in royalties and tax revenues.&rdquo;Scholz goes on to express concern over the potential impact the Energy East cancellation has on investment in the Canadian economy, as well as global emissions. "This outcome sends a message to potential investors that the rules you spend considerable time, money and effort to follow in Canada are subject to continuous change at a moment&rsquo;s notice.&rdquo;Regarding emissions, Scholz explains that without market access, Canada&rsquo;s oil supply will be displaced by other oil producing nations. &ldquo;Since 2012, Canada has spent over CAN$100 billion importing oil from other countries, many of which have deplorable environmental and human rights records,&rdquo; he explains. &ldquo;Right now we can&rsquo;t even supply our domestic markets with Canadian oil and gas. It&rsquo;s disappointing that 820 letters can change circumstances in a way that leads to a loss of thousands of Canadian jobs, a compromised future for Canada&rsquo;s economy, and the cancellation of building a safer way to transport our responsible, ethical resources to Canadians and the rest of the world.&rdquo;