Economist Robyn Allan is shooting back at statements from Alberta politicians that the Kinder Morgan project will lead to cheaper gas prices in B.C.
Allan has served as Chief Economist for the BC Central Credit Union, and president and CEO of ICBC. She is also opposed to, and has been an intervener against Trans Mountain's expansion of the Kinder Morgan pipeline.
Both Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and Alberta Opposition leader Jason Kenny maintain if B.C. is concerned about rising gas prices they should stop opposing the project.
But Allan says it's unfortunate there isn't more integrity in comments coming from politicians outside of British Columbia as it's clear what the pipeline will transport:
"The new pipeline is intended to ship 540-thousand barrels a day of heavy oil to the Westridge dock to be loaded onto tanker for foreign markets. It is not intended to deliver any product to the BC market place ..."
"The B.C. market gets its existing refined petroleum products in part on Trans Mountain right now. But as Kinder Morgan clearly told the National Energy Board there is no intention to increase any shipment of refined product along the existing line after the expansion takes place. Their business case is based on no new supply to the B.C. market place. And that makes sense given there is no lack of supply right now."
Allan says prices are not due to a supply shortage as the Port of Vancouver's own statistics shows that B.C. exports more gasoline than it imports. She maintains prices are the result of lack of competition and unfair pricing practises which have been allowed by government.
She adds the shutdown of the Parkland refinery in Burnaby was planned for, and reserves were built up in an anticipation of the maintenance closure to avoid any supply issues.