Workers lay pipe during construction of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion in Abbotsford, B.C. on Wednesday, May 3, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
CALGARY – The company building the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion has been issued a temporary stop-work order due to environmental non-compliance related to a wetland near Abbotsford, B.C.
The Canada Energy Regulator said Thursday it issued the order on Oct. 25.
It said its inspection officers found Trans Mountain Corp. had not installed sufficient fencing to protect amphibians in the area while work was going on.
The regulator also said it found unapproved vegetation clearing had taken place in the area.
The regulator has ordered Trans Mountain Corp. to stop work in the area until the issues are corrected and the company submits a safety inspection and report.
The Trans Mountain pipeline is Canada’s only pipeline system transporting oil from Alberta to the West Coast. Its expansion, which is nearing completion, will boost the pipeline’s capacity to 890,000 barrels per day from 300,000 bpd currently and improve access to export markets for Canadian oil companies.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2023.
