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☆ Six Dead in Rio Tinto Plane Crash in Canada's Northwest Territories
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

By Nia Williams(Reuters) - Six people were killed after a small plane carrying Rio Tinto workers crashed near Fort Smith in Canada's remote Northwest Territories (NWT), the NWT Coroner Service said on Wednesday. Four passengers and two North Western Air Lease crew members died in the crash, Chief Coroner Garth Eggenberger said in a statement, adding the plane had been travelling from Fort Smith en route to the Diavik Diamond Mine. There was one survivor who was treated at the Fort Smith Health Centre before being taken to hospital in the provincial capital Yellowknife. Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm said in a statement on Tuesday night that the company was devastated by the crash. (Reporting by Nia Williams in British Columbia, Editing by Franklin Paul and Chizu Nomiyama)

Persons: Nia Williams, Garth Eggenberger, Jakob Stausholm, Franklin Paul, Chizu Organizations: Reuters, Tinto, Northwest Territories, NWT, Service, Western Air Lease, Fort Smith Health, Yellowknife . Rio Tinto Chief Locations: Fort Smith, Northwest, Yellowknife . Rio, British Columbia

While over the years the pipeline's start date has been moved further back, supply has kept coming. Light synthetic crude from the oil sands, another key Canadian grade, is trading close to its deepest discount since 2020. With Canada exporting around 3.8 million bpd via pipelines, each additional dollar the discount widens amounts to millions in lost revenues for oil companies, analysts say. Conventional oil and gas producers will drill 8% more wells in 2024 to take advantage of greater access to pipelines including Trans Mountain. Rail exports hit 145,000 bpd in September, nearly doubling from May, according to latest data from the Canada Energy Regulator.

Persons: TMX, linefill, WCS, Martin King, It's, Heather Exner, Kevin Birn, Enbridge, James Davis ,, Jesse Jones, Jones, We're, John Zahary, Kent MacDougall, Nia Williams, Stephanie Kelly, Marguerita Choy, Denny Thomas, Simon Webb Organizations: Producers, Canadian, Canada, RBN Energy, Business Council of Canada, U.S ., P, ., Inc, Rail, Canada Energy Regulator, TMX, Altex Energy, Thomson Locations: Asia, British Columbia, Alberta, Canada, U.S . Canada

☆ Trans Mountain faces regulatory hearing on pipeline variance request
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The expansion of the Canadian government-owned Trans Mountain oil pipeline advanced to a new construction stage, in Acheson, Alberta, Canada December 3, 2019. REUTERS/Candace Elliott/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 24 (Reuters) - The Canada Energy Regulator (CER) has ordered the company building the Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion (TMX) to appear at an oral hearing on Monday, as the regulator weighs whether to approve a variance request from the project. Trans Mountain had asked the regulator to make a decision on the variance request by Nov. 30 to "advance the timely completion" of the expansion project. In September, the CER approved a route deviation request from TMX for a section of pipeline near Kamloops, despite opposition from local Indigenous groups. The CER said no other parties had expressed concern about TMX's latest variance request.

Persons: Candace Elliott, TMX, Nia Williams, Mark Porter, Leslie Adler Organizations: Canadian, REUTERS, Canada Energy Regulator, Trans Mountain Corp, Thomson Locations: Acheson , Alberta, Canada, Hope, Chilliwack, British Columbia, Calgary, Alberta, Coast, Abbotsford, TMX, Kamloops

☆ Oil slips 1% on concerns over delayed OPEC+ meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, U.S., November 22, 2019. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude slid 75 cents, or 1%, to $76.35 after dropping as much as 5% in the previous session. In a surprise move on Wednesday, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia delayed a ministerial meeting at which they were expected to discuss oil output cuts to Nov. 30. OPEC+ members Angola and Nigeria are aiming for higher oil output, officials told Reuters on Thursday. "However, it may be more difficult to bridge the gap with Angola, which has been a moodier member of the producer group since it joined in 2007."

Persons: Angus Mordant, Helima Croft, Phil Flynn, Nia Williams, Natalie Grover, Arathy, Andrew Hayley, Mark Potter, David Goodman, Alexandra Hudson, Marguerita Choy, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, Brent, . U.S . West Texas, U.S, Organization of, Petroleum, Producers, Reuters, Capital Markets, Price Futures Group, Thomson Locations: Loving County , Texas, U.S, ., Russia, OPEC, Angola, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Chicago, British Columbia, London, Houston, Beijing

Experts say Trudeau's carbon pricing scheme, known as the carbon tax, works well and cannot be easily replaced. Even the left-leaning New Democrats, who support Trudeau's government in parliament and have previously defended the carbon tax, are calling for the exemption. Analysts said the carbon tax carve-out is another example of inconsistent policy. CARBON TAX REBATEThe carbon tax is intended to discourage use of fossil fuels and accelerate a switch to clean energy, but the recent carve-out underlines how fragile climate policy is in the face of pressing political calculations. In September, Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem said the carbon tax contributes about 0.15 percentage points to the inflation rate, which was 3.8% that month.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Jessica Lee, Richard Brooks, Brooke, Brooks, Chris Severson, Baker, Pierre Poilievre, clobber Trudeau, Shachi Kurl, Angus Reid, Kurl, Jonathan Wilkinson, Wilkinson, Macklem, Trudeau, Robert Asselin, Asselin, Nia Williams, Steve Scherer, Josie Kao Organizations: Canada's, Ontario Chamber, Economic Summit, REUTERS, Rights Ottawa, Canadian, Provincial, New Democrats, Pembina Institute, Liberal, Conservative, Angus Reid Institute, Atlantic, Natural Resources, Reuters, Bank of Canada, Business Council of Canada, The Business Council, Thomson Locations: Toronto , Ontario, Canada, Ottawa

☆ Former Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard guilty of four counts of sexual assault, CBC reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The name of fashion executive and designer Peter Nygard is illuminated on a flagship store he once owned in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada December 15, 2020. REUTERS/Shannon VanRaes Acquire Licensing RightsNov 12 (Reuters) - Former Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard was found guilty of four counts of sexual assault by a Toronto jury on Sunday, according to CBC News. Nygard, 82, was on trial in the Ontario Superior Court for five counts of sexual assault and one count of forcible confinement charges linked to incidents between the 1980s and mid-2000s. He was acquitted of a fifth count of sexual assault and one count of forcible confinement. Nygard also faces charges of sexual assault and forcible confinement in Manitoba and Quebec.

Persons: Peter Nygard, Shannon VanRaes, Nygard, gratify, Nia Williams, Ismail Shakil, Andrea Ricci, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: REUTERS, CBC News, Ontario Superior Court, Canadian, Toronto, Thomson Locations: Winnipeg , Manitoba, Canada, Canadian, Toronto, Ontario, United States, Manitoba, Quebec, New York, Finland

OTTAWA, Nov 2 (Reuters) - The Canada Energy Regulator (CER) on Thursday ordered the Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion project to stop work in a wetland area near Abbotsford, British Columbia, after inspectors found several environmental and safety-related non-compliances. Trans Mountain Corp, the Canadian government-owned corporation building the expansion project, said the order applies to a specific work area of about 800 metres. Work on the oil pipeline expansion project is more than 95% complete, Trans Mountain said. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government bought the pipeline in 2018 to ensure the expansion project went ahead. In 2021, Trans Mountain was ordered to stop work for four months to protect hummingbird nests along a one-kilometer section of its route.

Persons: Justin Trudeau's, Ismail Shakil, Nia Williams, Leslie Adler, Diane Craft, Aurora Ellis Organizations: OTTAWA, Canada Energy Regulator, Canadian, Trans Mountain Corp, U.S ., Justin Trudeau's Liberal, Thomson Locations: Abbotsford, British Columbia, Alberta, Coast, Asia, U.S . West Coast, Trans

☆ Regulator imposes trading halt on Canada hedge fund after founder's death
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The regulator said it was informed on Saturday that Christopher Callahan, the sole director, officer and shareholder of Traynor, was dead. His death leaves Traynor without a director or officer in charge of the firm. "As a result, the three dealers have potential losses totalling approximately C$85 million ($61.27 million) to C$95 million," the regulator added, without naming the dealers. The firm and one of Callahan's colleagues listed on its website did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A Toronto police spokesperson said Callahan's death was not considered suspicious and they were not investigating.

Persons: Traynor, Christopher Callahan, Nia Williams, Jamie Freed Organizations: The Ontario Securities Commission, Inc, OSC, CIBC, Markets Inc, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, TR1, Thomson Locations: Toronto, British Columbia

OTTAWA, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Canada's Supreme Court on Friday ruled a federal law assessing how major infrastructure projects like coal mines and oil sands plants impact the environment is largely unconstitutional, in a blow to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government. "This is a significant setback for the federal government," said David Wright, a law professor at the University of Calgary. "The court has said the federal government can enact environmental assessment legislation but the way they went about it, for most of this law, goes too far." The IAA was drafted by Trudeau's Liberal government in 2019 in a bid to streamline and restore trust in the environmental approval process for major projects. Last year the federal government warned Suncor the environmental impact from expanding Base Mine would be "unacceptable" under the IAA because expected carbon emissions were too high.

Persons: Justin Trudeau's, Bill C, Richard Wagner, David Wright, Wright, Danielle Smith, Trudeau, Mike Martens, Major, Ismail Shakil, Nia Williams, David Ljunggren, Deborah Kyvrikosaios, Richard Chang Organizations: OTTAWA, Alberta, University of Calgary, IAA, Trudeau's Liberal, Liberals, Industry, Independent Contractors, Association Alberta, Thomson Locations: Canada, Ottawa, Alberta

OTTAWA, Oct 12 (Reuters) - The Canada Energy Regulator (CER) said on Thursday it will make a preliminary decision on Trans Mountain Corp's proposed shipping tolls for its oil pipeline expansion project this autumn, before holding a hearing on the tolls next year. The timing of the decision aims to ensure interim tolls are in place when the pipeline expansion becomes operational, the regulator said in a statement. The 590,000 barrel-per-day Trans Mountain expansion project (TMEP) will nearly triple the flow of oil from the province of Alberta to Canada's Pacific Coast and is expected to start operating late in the first quarter of 2024. But shippers including Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ.TO) and Cenovus Energy (CVE.TO) are disputing the interim tolls proposed by Trans Mountain, arguing a portion of the base toll is too high. "After service begins on the TMEP and final costs are known, Trans Mountain can request approval from the Commission of the CER for final tolls," the regulator said.

Persons: CER, Nia Williams, Ismail Shakil, Leslie Adler, Bill Berkrot Organizations: OTTAWA, Canada Energy Regulator, Natural Resources, Cenovus Energy, Canadian, Thomson Locations: Alberta, Coast, Trans

☆ Analysis: Canada may struggle to recoup $26 billion cost of Trans Mountain pipeline
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government bought Trans Mountain in 2018 for C$4.5 billion to rescue the expansion project, which has struggled with years of regulatory delay and massive cost overruns. A Reuters survey of five analysts and investors valued Trans Mountain between C$15 billion and C$25 billion, based on factors including projected earnings and oil shipping tolls. Trans Mountain Corp (TMC) CEO Dawn Farrell told local media last week the sale could wrap up by early 2025, just as Canada heads into a federal election. Trans Mountain offers strategic value as it is the only pipeline taking crude from Canada's oil patch to the Pacific, and on to Asian refining markets. "It's hard to imagine...that a pipeline like Trans Mountain would ever be built again," Poscente said.

Persons: Justin Trudeau's, Ryan Bushell, Dawn Farrell, Michael Dunn, Paul Poscente, Poscente, Pembina, Scott Burrows, Enbridge, Marc Weil, Dave Szybunka, Szybunka, Rod Nickel, Steve Scherer, Denny Thomas, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Ottawa, Justin Trudeau's Liberal, Reuters, Newhaven Asset Management, Trans Mountain Corp, Mountain, Cenovus Energy, Nations, Axxcelus, Chinook, Pembina Pipeline Corp, Indigenous Pipeline, TC Energy, Keystone, TC, Canoe Financial, Thomson Locations: Canada, Alberta, Trans, Newhaven, Pembina, U.S, Gulf, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa

Oil rigs are seen at Vaca Muerta shale oil and gas drilling, in the Patagonian province of Neuquen, Argentina January 21, 2019. He said oil and gas reserves are depleting at 5-7% annually, and output will decline if companies stop investing to replace them. The Canadian government has not finalised subsidies for projects to capture and sequester emissions and is developing a cap on oil and gas emissions. Not all oil companies are reducing spending on production. Greater oil production could provide the revenue to pursue net-zero aims, Rath said.

Persons: Agustin Marcarian, Darren Woods, Amin Nasser, ", Aditya Ravi, Rystad's, Alex Pourbaix, Pourbaix, that's, Chris Severson, Baker, Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Ranjit Rath, Rath, Carlos Travassos, Yrjo Koskinen, Rod Nickel, Nia Williams, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, World Petroleum Congress, Exxon Mobil, Aramco, Rystad Energy, International Energy Agency, Cenovus Energy, Canadian, European Union, Deloitte, African Petroleum Producers ' Organization, United Nations, Oil India, Investment, Petrobras, PETR4, University of Calgary, Thomson Locations: Vaca, Patagonian, Neuquen, Argentina, Rights CALGARY , Alberta, Calgary, United States, Paris, Pembina, India, SA, Calgary , Alberta

Its startup could add as much as $2 per barrel to prices paid by U.S. Midwest oil refineries that sit along Canada's existing main oil-export route. "They will be competing for barrels that no longer transit through their region," said a Calgary-based oil trader. That has left Canadian oil producers vulnerable to deep price discounts or "blowouts" whenever pipelines become congested or rupture. The start-up of TMX could add a "buck or two" to the cost of a barrel for Midwest refiners, he estimates. So far this year, over 200,000 bpd of Canadian crude has been re-exported from the U.S. Gulf Coast, up from about 73,000 bpd in 2019, Kpler data showed.

Persons: Rory Johnston, Matt Smith, Smith, Stephanie Kelly, Nia Williams, Laura Sanicola, Marguerita Choy Organizations: U.S ., U.S, BP, Citgo Petroleum, Exxon Mobil, Koch Industries, Flint Hills Resources, Canadian, Energy, Administration, TC, Keystone, refiners, Americas, Thomson Locations: CALGARY, Alberta, Coast, U.S, U.S . Midwest, Gulf Coast, Midwest, Flint, Calgary, Canada, Pacific, U.S . West Coast, Asia, Gulf, China, Kpler

☆ Exxon working on direct air capture of CO2, stays out of EV charging stations
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Direct air capture involves extracting carbon directly from the atmosphere. The technology could be developed on the back of Exxon's carbon capture and storage (CCS) business which will also involve trapping emissions underground, Crocker said. Exxon last year extended a joint research agreement with DAC developer Global Thermostat, intended to accelerate development of the technology for full-scale deployment. DAC "would link very closely to our CCS business where we are going to have large geologic storage and the capability to capture CO2," Crocker said. Limiting its own emissions and CCS take up the majority of the $17 billion allocated for Exxon's Low Carbon business through 2022-2027.

Persons: Sergio Moraes, Matthew Crocker, Crocker, Sabrina Valle, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Exxon Mobil Corp, Oil, Gas Expo, REUTERS, Rights, Exxon, United Nations, Global, Occidental, CCS, Exxon's, Deloitte, Thomson Locations: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Rights CALGARY , Alberta, Houston

CALGARY, Alberta, Sept 18 (Reuters) - The CEOs of top Saudi Arabian and U.S. oil producers Aramco (2222.SE) and Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) on Monday pushed back against forecasts that oil demand will peak, and said the transition to cleaner energy to fight climate change would require continuing investment in conventional oil and gas. Speaking at the World Petroleum Congress in Calgary, Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said talk of peak oil demand had come up often before. Current demand is around 100 million bpd. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, which has also dismissed the IEA peak oil estimate, is more upbeat about demand, expecting growth of 2.44 million bpd this year to 102.1 million bpd, compared with the IEA's forecast of 2.2 million bpd of growth. This year's conference theme is the energy transition.

Persons: Amin Nasser, Nasser, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Prince Abdulaziz, Julia Levin, Darren Woods, Woods, Nia Williams, Rod Nickel, Christina Fincher, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Saudi Arabian, Aramco, Exxon Mobil, Monday, International Energy Agency, World Petroleum Congress, of, Petroleum, Congress, Saudi Arabia's Energy, IEA, Environmental Defence, Exxon, Thomson Locations: CALGARY, Alberta, Saudi, U.S, Calgary, Environmental Defence Canada

☆ Alberta premier wants to unveil carbon capture storage tax credits at COP 28
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CALGARY, Alberta, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said on Monday she wanted to announce the details of investment tax credits to support carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects at the COP 28 climate summit in Dubai at the end of this year. Smith made the announcement during a news conference on the sidelines of the World Petroleum Congress in Calgary. Alberta is Canada's main producer of crude oil and natural gas, and its highest carbon-emitting province. COP 28 runs from Nov. 30 until Dec. 12. Reporting by Nia Williams; writing by David Ljunggren; Editing by Leslie Adler and Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Danielle Smith, Smith, Nia Williams, David Ljunggren, Leslie Adler, Richard Chang Organizations: World Petroleum Congress, Pathways Alliance, Suncor Energy, Cenovus Energy, Thomson Locations: CALGARY, Alberta, Dubai, Calgary . Alberta, Ottawa

The logo of Calgary-based Enbridge, one of North America's largest energy infrastructure companies, is displayed during the LNG 2023 energy trade show in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, July 12, 2023. Analysts, however, were surprised at the timing, the scale and impact such a deal would have on the company's already leveraged balance sheet. "I don't see how you can keep piling more issuance - debt and equity - on this company at these rates. Enbridge shares provisionally closed down 5.9% at C$45.31, while the benchmark Canadian share index was off 0.9%. "While Enbridge paid a reasonable price, high leverage and funding gap could act as overhang," Wells Fargo analysts said in a note.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Ryan Bushell, Enbridge, Greg Ebel, Morningstar, Stephen Ellis, Ellis, Wells, Alan Armstrong, Mrinalika Roy, Nia Williams, Denny Thomas, Anil D'Silva, Alexandra Hudson, Devika, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, Dominion Energy, Ohio Gas, Public Service Co, Newhaven Asset Management, Management, TC Energy, Williams Companies, Barclays CEO Energy, Power Conference, Thomson Locations: Calgary, North, Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada, North Carolina, North America, Newhaven, Enbridge, New York, Bengaluru

☆ British Columbia lifts most travel restrictions as Canada wildfires ease
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The restrictions barred non-essential travel to communities in the province's interior including Kelowna, Vernon and Kamloops and were due to expire at midnight. The measure will remain in place for West Kelowna. Flames burned nearly 200 homes in Kelowna and West Kelowna, officials said, but conditions were slowly improving even though smoke continued to blanket the province. "I really am beginning to feel like we're turning the corner here on this fire," West Kelowna fire chief Jason Brolund told a news conference. "...The efforts in partnership with the federal government, with First Nations and others on recovery has started already," British Columbia Premier David Eby told a news conference in West Kelowna.

Persons: David Eby, Chad Hipolito, Jason Brolund, Columbia Premier David Eby, Nia Williams, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: British, REUTERS Acquire, West, Northwest Territories, Flames, Kelowna and, First Nations, Columbia Premier, Thomson Locations: Kamloops, Canada, British Columbia, Kelowna, Vernon, West Kelowna, Northwest, Yellowknife, Kelowna and West Kelowna, Hay River, Fort Smith, Alberta

☆ Canada's Trans Mountain seeks last-minute route deviation on pipeline expansion
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

OTTAWA, Aug 23 (Reuters) - The Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) project has asked Canadian regulators for a route deviation on a 1.3-kilometre (0.8 mile)section of pipeline in British Columbia, months before the 600,000 barrel per day project is due to start shipping crude. In the application TMC said it had encountered "significant technical challenges" micro-tunnelling through hard rock formations and requested to instead adjust the pipeline route and use a conventional open trench. Last week the regulator gave TMC until end of day on Wednesday to provide more information on its request. Now that it is nearing completion, the government has approached Indigenous groups looking at buying a stake in the pipeline. "We are confident that the business case for the Trans Mountain pipeline remains solid," he added, when asked whether the government would have to sell the pipeline for less than it cost to build it.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, We're, Trudeau, Prince Edward Island, Ismail Shakil, Steve Scherer, Nia Williams, Bill Berkrot, Sonali Paul Organizations: OTTAWA, Canada Energy Regulator, Canadian, Trans Mountain Corp, TMC, Thomson Locations: British Columbia, Kamloops, Columbia, Burnaby , British Columbia, United States, Charlottetown, Prince, Ottawa

☆ Wildfire-hit British Columbia blanketed with hazardous smoke pollution
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] A boat passes under the Lions Gate bridge to enter Vancouver Harbour, shrouded in a haze of wildfire smoke, as seen from Cypress Mountain in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, August 21, 2023. REUTERS/Chris Helgren Acquire Licensing RightsREVELSTOKE, British Columbia, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Millions of people in the western Canadian province of British Columbia were under air quality warnings on Monday as hundreds of wildfires filled the skies with smoke and turned the sun orange. In the cities of Kelowna and Kamloops, the air quality index (AQI) was above 350, a "hazardous" level, real-time air quality information platform IQAir showed. Wildfire smoke is a seasonal occurrence for much of heavily-forested British Columbia, but the number of wildfires and amount of land burned is trending higher as a result of climate change, increasing concerns about the impact on human health. "This type of extreme smoke event covering all of our province does not happen every year," said Jalena Bennett, smoke information specialist with BlueSky Canada, adding 2018 was the last time wildfire smoke was so widespread.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Jalena Bennett, Ash, Marie, Eve Hervieux, Bobby Sekhon, Nia Williams, Denny Thomas, Josie Kao Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, British Columbia, BlueSky, Environment, Thomson Locations: Lions, Vancouver, Cypress Mountain, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Rights REVELSTOKE, Canadian, British, Kelowna, Kamloops, Lahore, Pakistan, BlueSky Canada, Shuswap Lake, Environment Canada, Metro Vancouver, Revelstoke

☆ Canada to deploy military in British Columbia to tackle fast-spreading fires
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Summary British Columbia declares state of emergency after wildfiresFlames have led to evacuation orders for more than 35,000 peopleAQI of some British Columbia cities at 'hazardous' levelsREVELSTOKE, British Columbia, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Canada is sending the military to tackle fast-spreading wildfires in British Columbia, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Sunday, as the western province deals with flames that have led to evacuation orders for more than 35,000 people. In some cities in British Columbia, the air quality index (AQI), which measures major pollutants including particulate matter produced by fires, was above 350, a "hazardous" level, IQAir, a real-time air quality information platform showed. West Kelowna fire chief Jason Brolund said he saw some hope after battling "epic" fires for the past four days. Since 2009, Canada has been spending more on fighting and suppressing wildfires than on maintaining its firefighting personnel and program. In British Columbia, the TransCanada highway was closed near Chase, about 400 km (250 miles) northeast of Vancouver.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Jason Brolund, that's, Brolund, Trudeau, Krista Flesjer, Kip Lumquist, Lumquist, Nia Williams, Dan Whitcomb, Nilutpal, Denny Thomas, Mark Porter, Matthew Lewis, Lisa Shumaker, Gerry Doyle, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Columbia, Flames, British Columbia, Kelowna College, ., Canadian Broadcasting Corp, Reuters, U.S ., Canadian, REUTERS Acquire, Government, Thomson Locations: Columbia, REVELSTOKE, British Columbia, Canada, British, Kelowna, U.S, U.S . Pacific Northwest, Washington, Oregon, Squilax, Kamloops, New York, U.S . East Coast, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Chase, Vancouver, Craigellachie, Los Angeles, Bengaluru

Companies City of Yellowknife FollowYELLOWKNIFE, Northwest Territories, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Canadian officials ordered the evacuation of the Northwest Territories' capital of Yellowknife and several smaller communities on Wednesday as a massive wildfire threatened the town of Hay River overnight. Canada is enduring its worst wildfire season with more than 1,000 active fires burning across the country, including 230 in the Northwest Territories. The Northwest Territories declared a state of emergency late Tuesday and the Canadian military has been mobilized to help tackle the blazes and airlift some residents to safety. Cochrane spoke to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the wildfire situation on Wednesday afternoon. Blazes have engulfed parts of nearly all 13 Canadian provinces and territories this year, forcing home evacuations, disrupting oil and gas production and drawing in federal as well as international firefighting resources.

Persons: Mike Westwick, Westwick, Northwest Territories Premier Caroline Cochrane, Pat Kane, I've, Cochrane, Justin Trudeau, Trudeau, Nia Williams, Ismail Shakil, David Ljunggren, Dan Whitcomb, Diane Craft, Stephen Coates Organizations: Northwest Territories, Northwest Territories Premier, REUTERS, City, Canadian, Thomson Locations: Yellowknife, YELLOWKNIFE, Northwest Territories, Northwest, Hay, Canada, Enterprise, Alberta, Sunday, City, Western Canada, Pacific, British Columbia, Cathedral, Keremeos, Ottawa, Los Angeles

Companies City of Yellowknife FollowYELLOWKNIFE, Northwest Territories, Aug 16 (Reuters) - A huge wildfire in northern Canada is creeping closer to the capital of the Northwest Territories and could reach the outskirts of Yellowknife by the weekend unless rain comes, the territorial government said on Wednesday. Canada is enduring its worst-ever wildfire season with more than 1,000 active fires burning across the country, including 230 in the Northwest Territories. Northwest Territories Premier Caroline Cochrane said some Yellowknife residents were preemptively leaving the city but urged people to remain calm and warned that highways could close suddenly because of the fire risk. The Northwest Territories declared a state of emergency late Tuesday and the Canadian military has been mobilized to help tackle the blazes and airlift some residents to safety. Cochrane spoke to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the wildfire situation on Wednesday afternoon.

Persons: Northwest Territories Premier Caroline Cochrane, I've, Cochrane, Justin Trudeau, Trudeau, Ismail Shakil, David Ljunggren, Sandra Maler, Chris Reese, Diane Craft Organizations: Northwest, Northwest Territories Premier, City, Northwest Territories, Canadian, Thomson Locations: Yellowknife, YELLOWKNIFE, Northwest Territories, Canada, Enterprise, Alberta, Sunday, City, Western Canada, Pacific, British Columbia, Cathedral, Keremeos, Ottawa

People walk to a Royal Canadian Air Force transport plane while being evacuated from an approaching wildfire in Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada August 14, 2023. “We are working closely with the Government of the Northwest Territories to ensure communities have the support they need," Canadian federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan said in a statement. Yellowknife is the capital of the Northwest Territories and sits 450 km (280 miles) south of the Arctic Circle. Over the weekend, residents of most communities in the South Slave region of the Northwest Territories, situated along the Alberta border, were ordered to evacuate. Northwest Territories has so far had 265 wildfires this year, much higher than its 10-year annual average of 185.

Persons: Harjit Sajjan, Rebecca Alty, Ismail Shakil, Jyoti Narayan, David Ljunggren, Alistair Bell Organizations: Royal Canadian Air Force, Canadian Forces, REUTERS Acquire, Canada's Northwest Territories, Government of, Emergency Preparedness, Northwest, CBC News, Thomson Locations: Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada, City, Yellowknife Follow OTTAWA, Yellowknife, Alberta, Enterprise, Territories, Ottawa, Bengaluru

☆ Imperial Oil spill into lagoon contaminates flock of Canada geese
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 26 (Reuters) - Canada's Imperial Oil (IMO.TO) spilled crude oil into a process-water lagoon at its Mahihkan plant in northern Alberta, contaminating a flock of geese, the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) said on Wednesday. The spill of around six barrels of oil, which took place on Monday, is the latest environmental lapse by the oil sands company. Earlier this year it emerged that toxic tailings water had been seeping for months from Imperial's Kearl mine, and a second separate leak occurred in February. Twelve Canada geese became smeared with oil after landing on the lagoon, the AER said in an incident report on its website. In the last week a dead frog and two dead minnows were found near the seepage site and were collected for additional testing, Imperial said.

Persons: Lisa Schmidt, Imperial, Schmidt, Nia Williams, Sandra Maler Organizations: Alberta Energy Regulator, Imperial, Thomson Locations: Alberta, Imperial, British Columbia

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