A day after TransCanada pulled the plug on its Energy East pipeline project, protestors focused on ending another pipeline extension, with a banner hung from one of Edmonton’s most iconic bridges.
The large banner said “No Kinder Morgan” caught the eye of drivers and pedestrians Friday morning. The group behind the protest said their message is that not all Albertans support that pipeline extension.
The $7.4 million expansion would triple the capacity of Alberta oil transported to the west coast, and double tanker traffic from British Columbia to overseas markets.
The protestors want the provincial and federal governments to invest in renewable energy instead.
“We want to hold Justin Trudeau and Rachel Notley accountable to meeting the climate targets that they set, and we know that expanding fossil fuel infrastructure is not compaitible with keeping those promises,” Hannah Gelderman said Friday.
The Kinder Morgan extension has been approved by the federal government.
First Nations groups in British Columbia are still fighting a court battle to force Ottawa to withdraw consent for the project.
“We feel that we are here because we have to be, we have to act now for our climate, we have to act in support of the First Nations that are undergoing expensive legal battles in order to protect future generations,” Anna Gerrard said.
On Thursday, TransCanada pulled the plug on their Energy East pipeline project, citing market conditions and federal approvals. The $15.7 billion project would have carried more than 1 million barrels of oil from Alberta and Saskatchewan into eastern Canada.
The group said they are planning another protest for later in October.
With files from Jonathan Glasgow
