Negative economic impact for the north with Energy East termination

Northern Ontario is going to suffer a negative economic impact from the termination of the Energy East pipeline proposal.

That’s the word from FONOM President Al Spacek.

“This is similar on scale to the day that Minister Rick Bartolucci announced shutting down Ontario Northland,” he says.

While the Northlander ceased operations in 2012, the province has since scrubbed the divestiture of the ONTC and kept most business units public.

Spacek says with Energy East, the north would’ve seen 45 new pumping stations alone, pointing out tens of billions of dollars were going to put into the project.

He also says the environment is going to be impacted.

“We’re going to continue to move that product by rail and truck, which statistically is much more dangerous and has much more potential negative impact for the environment,” he says.

Spacek says says with 200 municipalities supporting the pipeline proposal, “certainly we all can’t be wrong.”