What Major Pipelines Were Built In Canada in the Last Decade of Conservative Rule

There are many who claim that in the last decade of Conservative rule in under Federal Prime Minister Harper and Alberta Premiers Stelmach, Redford and Prentice precious little was done for Alberta’s pipelines.  On the other hand, earlier this year UCP Leader Jason Kenney said that it was completely wrong to say that pipelines had not been built under that Conservative leadership.  (Note that we cannot locate the exact quote so if you can find it, please send it to us so we can correctly detail the verbiage used).

The PC / UCP (United Conservative Party of Alberta) defense of there counter claim is presented most clearly by Manitoba Member of Parliament Candice Bergen who told the House of Commons in 2016:

“four major pipelines were built between 2006 and 2015 when we were in government” SOURCE

She went on to detail that the four pipelines were:

1 – Kinder Morgan’s Anchor Loop Pipeline

A 160 kilometer expansion project in though BC and Alberta Rocky Mountains that increased the flow by 15%

2 – TransCanada’s Keystone Pipeline (NOT Keystone XL)

This huge project connecting Alberta to Texas began construction in January 2012 and was completed in 2017

3 – Enbridge’s Alberta Clipper Pipeline

A 1600 kilometer pipeline constructed in 2010 from Alberta to Wisconsin

4 – Enbridge’s Line 9 Reversal Pipeline

This pipeline runs from near Hamilton Ontario to Montreal was mostly just what the names says, a ‘reversal’ of an existing pipeline.

To our mind this is two ‘major’ pipeline projects, TransCanada Keystone original and the Enbridge Clipper.  This clearly indicates that some work did get completed under Conservative Governments so it is unfair to say they did nothing.

It is worth noting the pipelines were not a very contentious issue through the early 2000’s but today mere mention of the word ‘pipeline’ can get you into a fight.

In comparison Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NDP Alberta Premier Rachel Notely have had two major pipelines approved in two years.  This author is not a particular supporter of the NDP or Liberals but is a supporter of facts so lets be fair and give Notely and Trudeau their due credit.