Canadian Energy Centre
Unleashing Canada’s competitive advantage in energy and natural resources
From the Canadian Energy Centre
By Cody Ciona
Q&A with Bryan Detchou, senior director of natural resources, environment and sustainability with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Canada’s energy sector is one of the country’s greatest strengths, says an emerging leader with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
Bryan Detchou is the Chamber’s senior director of natural resources, environment and sustainability.
A former government relations consultant and staffer on Parliament Hill, in 2023 The Peak recognized Detchou as one of Canada’s young leaders shaping the country’s economy, culture and society.
The Chamber boasts a membership of over 200,000 businesses, including many energy-related companies. Detchou helps advocate for achieving the sector’s untapped potential.
Here’s what he shared with the Canadian Energy Centre:
CEC: Why does the Canadian Chamber of Commerce support Canada’s oil and natural gas sector?
BD: The mandate of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce is to support and be the leading voice for all businesses across the Canadian economy.
You cannot discuss the Canadian economy without recognizing the essential role of the oil and gas sector.
CEC: What role should Canada’s energy sector play in the 21st century Canadian and world economies?
BD: We believe that Canada’s energy and natural resources sectors are sources of pride and deserve strong support. These sectors hold the potential for Canada to exceed expectations on the global stage, positioning us as a key player in solving many of the world’s pressing challenges.
The conflict in Ukraine has exposed vulnerabilities in European and global energy security, underscoring the critical role Canada can play in addressing these issues. It is not only Canada’s responsibility to its citizens but also its duty to the global community to be a strong and reliable energy partner.
However, our failure to act decisively on energy security weakens our position and undermines our ability to contribute meaningfully to the reduction of global emissions.
CEC: How can Canadian energy businesses take a leadership position in emissions reduction?
BD: The majority of emissions reductions are being driven by the private sector, and we’re already seeing significant investments from various organizations. However, the challenge lies in the substantial capital required for these initiatives.
Before making major investment decisions, companies need a level of certainty and predictability in the markets they operate in—this is where the government can play a stronger role.
Regulatory hurdles, such as amendments to the Impact Assessment Act and the slow deployment of Investment Tax Credits, continue to create uncertainty.
We must understand that this is a global race. Canada is not the only country working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and attract the necessary investment.
It is our responsibility to identify and leverage our competitive advantages. There is still much Canada can do to ensure its regulatory framework is conducive to attracting investment and driving environmental progress.
CEC: How is the federal greenwashing Bill C-59 impacting Canadian energy companies?
BD: From the outset, we have been fully engaged in addressing the challenges posed by this new legislation, starting with our involvement when the amendment was first introduced in the House of Commons committee in late May.
We testified before the Senate in early June, voicing the concerns of the industry, and have remained actively engaged ever since.
We unequivocally support the goal of ensuring that no Canadian company engages in deceptive marketing, whether in terms of product claims or the communication of their environmental commitments, particularly those aimed at combating climate change. Transparency and accountability are fundamental.
However, the law’s vague language and the absence of a clearly defined methodology have unfortunately created uncertainty across all sectors of the Canadian economy. This uncertainty hinders the ability of businesses to openly and confidently contribute to Canada’s ambitious climate goals.
Rather than driving environmental progress, the new law has inadvertently undermined the significant efforts already made by Canadian corporations, and by extension, the Canadian government. It has become a barrier to both innovation and meaningful environmental action.
The time has come for the government to revisit this legislation. The government should do now what it should have done in May and work collaboratively with industry stakeholders to develop a made-in-Canada regime that ensures corporate accountability and transparency while fostering, not stifling, innovation and environmental ambition.
Only by doing this can we achieve the climate objectives that Canada is striving for.
CEC: What does the Chamber believe are the best steps forward for Canada’s energy sector?
BD: The best way forward for Canada’s energy sector involves recognizing and leveraging our natural resources as one of the country’s greatest strengths, rather than a weakness. In the face of global challenges Canada’s energy sector must evolve to address these pressing issues.
We advocate for a balanced approach that includes diversifying the energy portfolio with investments in renewable technologies and innovations like carbon capture and storage and hydrogen, ensuring a clear and efficient regulatory framework to attract investment, and strengthening Indigenous partnerships to foster shared prosperity.
Promoting sustainable resource development to meet net-zero targets, expanding global market opportunities, and enhancing collaboration between government and industry are crucial.
By embracing our energy sector as a key asset, Canada can enhance its role on the global stage, support our allies, and combat climate change effectively. Unleashing the full potential of Canada’s natural resources is essential for securing energy security, achieving economic growth and driving long-term prosperity.
From the Canadian Energy Centre
Bigger project maintains decades-long marine safety record
The Trans Mountain system continues its decades-long record of zero marine spills, even as oil tanker traffic has surged more than 800 per cent since the pipeline’s expansion in May 2024.
The number of tankers calling at Trans Mountain’s Westridge Marine Terminal in the Port of Vancouver in one month now rivals the number that used to go through in one year.
A global trend toward safer tanker operations
Trans Mountain’s safe operations are part of a worldwide trend. Global oil tanker traffic is up, yet spills are down, according to the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation, a London, UK-based nonprofit that provides data and response support.
Graph courtesy International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation
Transport Canada reports a 95 per cent drop in ship-source oil spills and spill volumes since the 1970s, driven by stronger ship design, improved response and better regulations.
“Tankers are now designed much more safely. They are double-hulled and compartmentalized to mitigate spills,” said Mike Lowry, spokesperson for the Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC).
WCMRC: Ready to protect the West Coast
One of WCMRC’s new response vessels arrives in Barkley Sound. Photo courtesy Western Canada Marine Response Corporation
From eight marine bases including Vancouver and Prince Rupert, WCMRC stands at the ready to protect all 27,000 kilometres of Canada’s western coastline.
Lowry sees the corporation as similar to firefighters — training to respond to an event they hope they never have to see.
In September, it conducted a large-scale training exercise for a worst-case spill scenario. This included the KJ Gardner — Canada’s largest spill response vessel and a part of WCMRC’s fleet since 2024.
“It’s part of the work we do to make sure everybody is trained and prepared to use our assets just in case,” Lowry said.
Expanding capacity for Trans Mountain
The K.J. Gardner is the largest-ever spill response vessel in Canada. Photo courtesy Western Canada Marine Response Corporation
WCMRC’s fleet and capabilities were doubled with a $170-million expansion to support the Trans Mountain project.
Between 2012 and 2024, the company grew from 13 people and $12 million in assets to more than 200 people and $213 million in assets.
“About 80 per cent of our employees are mariners who work as deckhands, captains and marine engineers on our vessels,” Lowry said.
“Most of the incidents we respond to are small marine diesel spills — the last one was a fuel leak from a forest logging vessel near Nanaimo — so we have deployed our fleet in other ways.”
Tanker safety starts with strong rules and local expertise
Tanker loading at the Westridge Marine Terminal in the Port of Vancouver. Photo courtesy Trans Mountain Corporation
Speaking on the ARC Energy Ideas podcast, Trans Mountain CEO Mark Maki said tanker safety starts with strong regulations, including the use of local pilots to guide vessels into the harbour.
“On the Mississippi River, you have Mississippi River pilots because they know how the river behaves. Same thing would apply here in Vancouver Harbour. Tides are strong, so people who are familiar with the harbor and have years and decades of experience are making sure the ships go in and out safely,” Maki said.
“A high standard is applied to any ship that calls, and our facility has to meet very strict requirements. And we have rejected ships, just said, ‘Nope, that one doesn’t fit the bill.’ A ship calling on our facilities is very, very carefully looked at.”
Working with communities to protect sensitive areas
Beyond escorting ships and preparing for spills, WCMRC partners with coastal communities to map sensitive areas that need rapid protection including salmon streams, clam beds and culturally important sites like burial grounds.
“We want to empower communities and nations to be more prepared and involved,” Lowry said.
“They can help us identify and protect the areas that they value or view as sensitive by working with our mapping people to identify those areas in advance. If we know where those are ahead of time, we can develop a protection strategy for them.”
Prince Rupert Port Authority CEO Shaun Stevenson. Photo courtesy Prince Rupert Port Authority
From the Canadian Energy Centre
A strategic gateway to the world
Tucked into the north coast of B.C. is the deepest natural harbour in North America and the port with the shortest travel times to Asia.
With growing capacity for exports including agricultural products, lumber, plastic pellets, propane and butane, it’s no wonder the Port of Prince Rupert often comes up as a potential new global gateway for oil from Alberta, said CEO Shaun Stevenson.
Thanks to its location and natural advantages, the port can efficiently move a wide range of commodities, he said.
That could include oil, if not for the federal tanker ban in northern B.C.’s coastal waters.
The Port of Prince Rupert on the north coast of British Columbia. Photo courtesy Prince Rupert Port Authority
“Notwithstanding the moratorium that was put in place, when you look at the attributes of the Port of Prince Rupert, there’s arguably no safer place in Canada to do it,” Stevenson said.
“I think that speaks to the need to build trust and confidence that it can be done safely, with protection of environmental risks. You can’t talk about the economic opportunity before you address safety and environmental protection.”
Safe Transit at Prince Rupert
About a 16-hour drive from Vancouver, the Port of Prince Rupert’s terminals are one to two sailing days closer to Asia than other West Coast ports.
The entrance to the inner harbour is wider than the length of three Canadian football fields.
The water is 35 metres deep — about the height of a 10-storey building — compared to 22 metres at Los Angeles and 16 metres at Seattle.
Shipmasters spend two hours navigating into the port with local pilot guides, compared to four hours at Vancouver and eight at Seattle.
“We’ve got wide open, very simple shipping lanes. It’s not moving through complex navigational channels into the site,” Stevenson said.
A Port on the Rise
The Prince Rupert Port Authority says it has entered a new era of expansion, strengthening Canada’s economic security.
The port estimates it anchors about $60 billion of Canada’s annual global trade today. Even without adding oil exports, Stevenson said that figure could grow to $100 billion.
“We need better access to the huge and growing Asian market,” said Heather Exner-Pirot, director of energy, natural resources and environment at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.
“Prince Rupert seems purpose-built for that.”
Roughly $3 billion in new infrastructure is already taking shape, including the $750 million rail-to-container CANXPORT transloading complex for bulk commodities like specialty agricultural products, lumber and plastic pellets.
The Ridley Island Propane Export Terminal, Canada’s first marine propane export terminal, started shipping in May 2019. Photo courtesy AltaGas Ltd.
Canadian Propane Goes Global
A centrepiece of new development is the $1.35-billion Ridley Energy Export Facility — the port’s third propane terminal since 2019.
“Prince Rupert is already emerging as a globally significant gateway for propane exports to Asia,” Exner-Pirot said.
Thanks to shipments from Prince Rupert, Canadian propane – primarily from Alberta – has gone global, no longer confined to U.S. markets.
More than 45 per cent of Canada’s propane exports now reach destinations outside the United States, according to the Canada Energy Regulator.
“Twenty-five per cent of Japan’s propane imports come through Prince Rupert, and just shy of 15 per cent of Korea’s imports. It’s created a lift on every barrel produced in Western Canada,” Stevenson said.
“When we look at natural gas liquids, propane and butane, we think there’s an opportunity for Canada via Prince Rupert becoming the trading benchmark for the Asia-Pacific region.”
That would give Canadian production an enduring competitive advantage when serving key markets in Asia, he said.
Deep Connection to Alberta
The Port of Prince Rupert has been a key export hub for Alberta commodities for more than four decades.
Through the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund, the province invested $134 million — roughly half the total cost — to build the Prince Rupert Grain Terminal, which opened in 1985.
The largest grain terminal on the West Coast, it primarily handles wheat, barley, and canola from the prairies.
The Prince Rupert Grain Terminal. Photo courtesy Prince Rupert Port Authority
Today, the connection to Alberta remains strong.
In 2022, $3.8 billion worth of Alberta exports — mainly propane, agricultural products and wood pulp — were shipped through the Port of Prince Rupert, according to the province’s Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors.
In 2024, Alberta awarded a $250,000 grant to the Prince Rupert Port Authority to lead discussions on expanding transportation links with the province’s Industrial Heartland region near Edmonton.
Handling Some of the World’s Biggest Vessels
The Port of Prince Rupert could safely handle oil tankers, including Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), Stevenson said.
“We would have the capacity both in water depth and access and egress to the port that could handle Aframax, Suezmax and even VLCCs,” he said.
“We don’t have terminal capacity to handle oil at this point, but there’s certainly terminal capacities within the port complex that could be either expanded or diversified in their capability.”
Market Access Lessons From TMX
Like propane, Canada’s oil exports have gained traction in Asia, thanks to the expanded Trans Mountain pipeline and the Westridge Marine Terminal near Vancouver — about 1,600 kilometres south of Prince Rupert, where there is no oil tanker ban.
The Trans Mountain expansion project included the largest expansion of ocean oil spill response in Canadian history, doubling capacity of the West Coast Marine Response Corporation.
The K.J. Gardner is the largest-ever spill response vessel in Canada. Photo courtesy Western Canada Marine Response Corporation
The Canada Energy Regulator (CER) reports that Canadian oil exports to Asia more than tripled after the expanded pipeline and terminal went into service in May 2024.
As a result, the price for Canadian oil has gone up.
The gap between Western Canadian Select (WCS) and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) has narrowed to about $12 per barrel this year, compared to $19 per barrel in 2023, according to GLJ Petroleum Consultants.
Each additional dollar earned per barrel adds about $280 million in annual government royalties and tax revenues, according to economist Peter Tertzakian.
The Road Ahead
There are likely several potential sites for a new West Coast oil terminal, Stevenson said.
“A pipeline is going to find its way to tidewater based upon the safest and most efficient route,” he said.
“The terminal part is relatively straightforward, whether it’s in Prince Rupert or somewhere else.”
Under Canada’s Marine Act, the Port of Prince Rupert’s mandate is to enable trade, Stevenson said.
“If Canada’s trade objectives include moving oil off the West Coast, we’re here to enable it, presuming that the project has a mandate,” he said.
“If we see the basis of a project like this, we would ensure that it’s done to the best possible standard.”
Net Zero goal is a fundamental flaw in the Ottawa-Alberta MOU
Eco-radical Canadian Cabinet minister resigns after oil deal approved
Learning the Truth about “Children’s Graves” and Residential Schools is More Important than Ever
Canadians will soon be versed in massive West Coast LPG mega-project
Recent price declines don’t solve Toronto’s housing affordability crisis
Manitoba Is Doubling Down On A Failed Drug Policy
Canada Still Serves Up Food Dyes The FDA Has Banned
-
Censorship Industrial Complex1 day agoCanadian bishops condemn Liberal ‘hate speech’ proposal that could criminalize quoting Scripture
-
National2 days agoAlberta will use provincial laws to stop Canadian gov’t from trying to confiscate legal firearms
-
COVID-192 days agoCanadian legislator introduces bill to establish ‘Freedom Convoy Recognition Day’ as a holiday
-
Energy2 days agoA look inside the ‘floatel’ housing B.C.’s LNG workforce
-
Daily Caller18 hours agoTrump Orders Review Of Why U.S. Childhood Vaccination Schedule Has More Shots Than Peer Countries
-
Business2 days agoUS Energy Secretary says price of energy determined by politicians and policies
-
Economy1 day agoWhat the Data Shows About the New Canada-Alberta Pipeline Opportunity
-
illegal immigration1 day agoWhile Trump has southern border secure, hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants still flooding in from Canada