WHAT: From April 7-28, the Council of Canadians, with local partners, is holding a series of public forums and events in six communities along TransCanada’s proposed Energy East pipeline route. The tour will focus on why Energy East involves many risks for Ontarians, and few rewards. The Ottawa public event will take place on Sunday, April 13.
WHO: The Energy East: Our Risk – Their Reward tour features Council of Canadians Chairperson Maude Barlow and Eriel Deranger of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation joined by Graham Saul from Ecology Ottawa.
EVENT DETAILS: Sunday, April 13 – Ottawa 7:00 p.m. (doors open 6:30) at the Mayfair Theatre, 1074 Bank St (map).
WHY: Transporting 1.1 million barrels of oil per day, Energy East would be the largest oil pipeline in North America. Almost all of the oil is expected to be exported, with benefits flowing to the oil industry. In Ontario, TransCanada will attempt to use a converted 40-year-old natural gas pipeline to carry oil including diluted bitumen from the tar sands, over some of the provinces most important waterways.
Filling the Energy East pipeline would help spur an up to 40% increase in tar sands production at a time when First Nations downstream are calling for an end to further expansion. The increase in production would also produce climate pollution equivalent to that of all the cars in Ontario every year.
The pipeline crosses the city’s drinking water source the Rideau River south of Ottawa, traverses above the highly vulnerable Oxford aquifer, through a groundwater recharge area and plans for a new pumping station in Stittsville.
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canadians.org/energyeast-tour | Twitter: @CouncilOfCDNs & #2riskEE
