Read my lips: There's no oil tanker ban in Canada
By Chuck Strahl, Vancouver Sun December 24, 2010
Re: An oil spill would be inevitable if tankers allowed on B.C. coast, Letters, Dec. 23.
I want to clarify the issues related to oil tankers on Canada's Pacific Coast. There is no oil tanker traffic moratorium in Canada. I would also like to stress that oil tankers have been trading safely and regularly along the British Columbia coast for decades.
However, there is a federal moratorium in place on oil and natural gas exploration and development offshore of British Columbia. It does not apply to storing or moving oil tankers.
There is also a voluntary Tanker Exclusion Zone that applies strictly to Trans-Alaska pipeline tankers moving south from Alaska to Washington State. It keeps U.S. tanker ships carrying oil 25-75 miles off the B.C. coast. The government has no plans to change the Tanker Exclusion Zone.
This zone was never meant to ban tanker traffic or tankers calling on Canadian ports. Each year, more than 1,000 tankers respect the Tanker Exclusion Zone. There are no reports of non-compliance.
I can assure readers that Canada's maritime regulations and standards, combined with international regulations require oil tankers to have double hulls. In addition, all ships including tankers use a specially-trained marine pilot in compulsory marine zones and undergo strict marine safety inspections.
This government has a zero-tolerance policy toward polluting Canada's marine environment. We will continue to enforce strong standards to ensure the safe transport of petroleum products along the B.C. Coast.
Chuck Strahl
Federal Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
I want to clarify the issues related to oil tankers on Canada's Pacific Coast. There is no oil tanker traffic moratorium in Canada. I would also like to stress that oil tankers have been trading safely and regularly along the British Columbia coast for decades.
However, there is a federal moratorium in place on oil and natural gas exploration and development offshore of British Columbia. It does not apply to storing or moving oil tankers.
There is also a voluntary Tanker Exclusion Zone that applies strictly to Trans-Alaska pipeline tankers moving south from Alaska to Washington State. It keeps U.S. tanker ships carrying oil 25-75 miles off the B.C. coast. The government has no plans to change the Tanker Exclusion Zone.
This zone was never meant to ban tanker traffic or tankers calling on Canadian ports. Each year, more than 1,000 tankers respect the Tanker Exclusion Zone. There are no reports of non-compliance.
I can assure readers that Canada's maritime regulations and standards, combined with international regulations require oil tankers to have double hulls. In addition, all ships including tankers use a specially-trained marine pilot in compulsory marine zones and undergo strict marine safety inspections.
This government has a zero-tolerance policy toward polluting Canada's marine environment. We will continue to enforce strong standards to ensure the safe transport of petroleum products along the B.C. Coast.
Chuck Strahl
Federal Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
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