Environmental worries top northwestern Ont. concerns about oil pipeline

A new report from the Ontario Energy Board says the risks of the proposed Energy East pipeline outweigh the benefits.

As part of its review, the energy regulator held consultations in a variety of communities, including Thunder Bay.

Ontario Energy Board spokesperson Michael Millar said that, in northwestern Ontario, the greatest concern was for the environment.

• Read the report

"For much of the route, there's probably more water up there than there is land, so it's top of mind for many people that everything be done to ensure there never is a spill. And, to the extent that there is that the risk, management plans [need to be] top of the line and first rate," he said.

Millar said that while risks of the pipeline are significant, the economic benefits for the province have been overstated.

"The oil from the Energy East pipeline will pass directly though Ontario, and therefore the economic benefits are modest. But weighed against that, we have the economic risks of having an oil pipeline pass through so many water courses and near so many lakes and rivers," Millar said.

TransCanada, the company behind the proposed Energy East Pipeline project, said it welcomes the report from the Ontario Energy Board.

In a written statement, the company said the project is still in early stages and that it will work closely with the Ontario government to ensure that it meets standards for safety and environmental protection.

Millar said the report will inform the province when it acts as an intervenor in the National Energy Board's review of the proposed Energy East pipeline.