The province does not anticipate an immediate impact on fuel deliveries should Line 5—a line that supplies fuel to Ontario and Quebec, be shut down—but that could change if a long-term shutdown happens.
The Governor of Michigan set Wednesday as the deadline for Calgary-based Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline to be shut down.
Michigan is concerned about the environmental threat posed by the deteriorating condition of the aging pipeline built back in 1953.
Canadian officials are concerned about the economic impact should the pipeline be shut down; more than half the crude oil used in Ontario and Quebec passes through the line.
The Department of Industry, Energy, and Technology says while it doesn’t anticipate any immediate local impact should the pipeline be shut down, a longer-term shutdown could result in a protracted disruption of deliveries and supply in the eastern Canadian market.
It could also affect prices. Federal Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan says in the absence of a court order, the pipeline will continue to operate and the Canadian government has vowed to fight to keep the pipeline open.
Earlier Story – Canadian Government Files Court Documents Against State of Michigan Over Line 5 Pipeline
