Tag Archives: Chrystia Freedland

Energy, Seniors

Freeland insists TMX will recoup billions; opposition MPs say no way

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is “very confident” the federal government will get back the $34 billion in public funds spent on the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion. But her statement produced widespread skepticism from opposition MPs.

“If you look at market analysis right now, the consensus view is this is a project that is worth a lot of money,” Freeland said at the natural resources committee meeting Monday.

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Energy

Trans Mountain wants higher tolls, and they won’t cover even half its price tag

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Trans Mountain wants to charge oil shippers more to use the Trans Mountain expansion pipeline (TMX), but those increased tolls wouldn’t cover even half of the project’s $30.9-billion price tag.

“There has never been an instance in any western country — that I’m aware of — where tolls have been set below the level required to cover the cost of the operation of a pipeline,” said Thomas Gunton, professor and director of the Resource and Environmental Planning Program at Simon Fraser University in B.C.

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Energy

Trans Mountain expansion’s price tag surpasses $30-billion threshold

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Trans Mountain expansion project is now expected to cost $30.9 billion in yet another sign it is becoming a fiscal disaster for Trudeau’s government.

“Buying and building this pipeline will go down in the history books as one of, if not the, worst infrastructure decision a Canadian government has ever made,” said Greenpeace Canada senior energy strategist Keith Stewart. “It was always a disaster from a climate change perspective, but this is now an economic crime that has stolen $30 billion of public funds from real climate solutions.”

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Energy, Finances

Finance Canada won’t rule out debt forgiveness for TMX

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Finance Canada won’t confirm whether it will consider forgiving Trans Mountain’s massive public debts at the expense of taxpayers, despite ample indications that loan forgiveness is inevitable.

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Cost of Climate Change

Increased oil and gas production, carbon capture tax credits calls Canada’s new climate plan’s credibility into question

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Canada’s long-awaited plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is not aligned with the country’s fair share and contains problematic funding promises for the oil and gas industry, some politicians say.

Continue reading Increased oil and gas production, carbon capture tax credits calls Canada’s new climate plan’s credibility into question →