Sask. must do more to monitor pipelines, says auditor

Nearly a year after a Husky Energypipeline spilled 225,000 litres into and around the North Saskatchewan River,the province's auditor says the government still has work to do when it comes to regulating pipelines.

Judy Ferguson released her latest report on Tuesday. In it, shenotedthe government hasimplemented just two of the remaining five recommendations from a 2012 report.

• Husky oil spill: Sask. auditor says pipeline regulation still needs work
• Saskatchewan expands pipeline inspections in wake of Husky oil spill

The Opposition's CathySproulesaid the government has not moved quickly enough on the auditor's recommendations.

In a written statement, she said the government's "failure to implement key safety recommendations, along with their practice of allowing oil companies to regulate themselves, is doing nothing to prevent spills from occurring."

Ferguson said effective regulation of pipelines can prevent leaks, explosions and other hazards.

"Pipeline leaks can contaminate land and water, having a serious impact on residents and wildlife in the area," the auditor said in a news release.

She saidthe government does not have written policies and procedures to evaluate the province's existing pipelines.

The government should be "strategically and deliberately going out and having a look and making sure that operators are doing what they're saying that they're doing and that they're doing it properly," she added.

Government has made 'substantial progress'

Doug MacKnight,assistant deputy minister in the petroleum and natural gas division of the Ministry of the Economy, said, "We have made substantial progress over the last number of years in implementing the recommendations made in the 2012 report."

However, he acknowledged there is more to do.

"Like other pipeline regulators, we are working to develop a risk-based system to regulate pipelines."

The two recommendations the government did adopt in the wake of the spill were to license some 80,000 flowlines in the province as well as to ensure the province has the legal authority to require cleanup after a spill.