Write a Letter to the Editor about why we should Defund Trans Mountain

Our government is needlessly spending billions of dollars on the Trans Mountain pipeline. We know this money should go toward tackling the climate crisis and supporting our communities. Together, thousands of us came together to spread that message.

Read the published letters

Why take action now? 

A second wave of COVID-19 is hitting much of Canada, wildfire smoke is just starting to clear from the air, and we’re still at the base of a long road to recovery. In this critical time, Canadian federal leaders are debating some of the most important policy proposals of our lifetime. We have to speak up now to make sure they prioritize what matters.

About Trans Mountain

The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion is a new fossil fuel pipeline that would carry tar sands from Alberta to just outside of Vancouver, BC. Originally owned by Texas oil giant Kinder Morgan, the Government of Canada bailed the project out in 2018 when Kinder Morgan threatened to walk away, and we bought it for $5.4 billion.

Then, in early 2020, the Government released updated costs for the project. Now at nearly $13 billion and climbing, public support for the pipeline dropped as the public was told that we would need to foot this growing bill. This was all before COVID-19 hit, which no doubt has driven the cost of the project even higher.

Before Justin Trudeau bought the Trans Mountain pipeline, the project was such a bad bet that Texas oil giant Kinder Morgan walked away from the project. Here’s why:

    • Shaky Economics: Trans Mountain requires ongoing tar sands expansion to make sense, and that requires a high price of oil. Before the pandemic hit, and the price of oil collapsed, the economics for Trans Mountain didn’t make sense. They make even less sense now. Read More. 

 

    • Local Opposition: There has long been a large and loud opposition to Trans Mountain all along the route, where concerns of an oil spill are top of mind. The existing pipeline that this expansion is being built atop has – by the companies own reporting – leaked more than 80 times, as recently as June 2020. Read More.

 

    • Climate Change: The Trans Mountain pipeline will create millions of tonnes of carbon emissions, making it impossible for Canada to do it’s part in tackling the global climate crisis. Despite this, their own review of the project refused to consider the complete climate impact of the project. Thanks to all this, the pipeline faces opposition all across Canada, and the world. Read More. 

 

    • Indigenous Rights: Indigenous communities all along the Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker routes have raised major issues with the construction of the pipeline since it was first proposed. These groups have challenged the project in court, and on the land, with opposition continuing to grow. Read More. 

 

What does it mean to build back better with a Green New Deal?

There is a national movement pushing all levels of government to put people first as they build plans to recover from COVID-19. Learn more about the movement here.

We know that a Green New Deal sets us up to take care of people, create millions of decent jobs, and tackle the climate crisis. Learn more about the movement for a Green New Deal here.

Why pull the plug on TMX now?

The math just doesn’t make sense. The climate math doesn’t add up, the economics don’t make sense and, if we’re going to build back better, we need to put every single dollar we can to projects that help all people and communities. The longer we wait to defund TMX, the worse it’s going to be.

Isn’t TMX creating jobs?

The pipeline might be creating a few short term jobs, but it’s doing so at a cost to the climate and to a just recovery from COVID-19. We need to put every dollar we can into transforming our economy to rebuild from COVID and tackle the climate crisis, TMX does neither.

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