Line 3 pipeline replacement ‘substantially complete,’ oil will flow Friday: Enbridge - Global News

Enbridge Inc.’s Line 3 pipeline replacement project, a critical piece of export infrastructure for Canada’s energy sector, will be in service on Oct. 1.

The pipeline giant said Wednesday the 1,765-km Line 3 — which will carry oil from rural Alberta to Enbridge’s terminal in Wisconsin — is “substantially complete.”

“After more than eight years of many people working together, extensive community engagement, and thorough environmental, regulatory and legal review, we are pleased that Line 3 is complete and will soon deliver the low cost and reliable energy that people depend on every day,” said Enbridge chief executive Al Monaco in a news release.

“From day one, this project has been about modernizing our system and improving safety and reliability for the benefit of communities, the environment and our customers.”

Read more: Enbridge fined $3M for breach of Minnesota environmental laws during Line 3 construction

Line 3 starts in Hardisty, Alta. and clips a corner of North Dakota before crossing Minnesota en route to Enbridge’s terminal in Superior, Wis.

The last leg of the $9.3-billion project to be completed was the 542-kilometre Minnesota segment.

The other parts of the pipeline had already been placed into service, but in Minnesota Enbridge faced court challenges and protests by environmental and Indigenous groups.

Opponents of the project said the Line 3 expansion will accelerate climate change and also poses a risk of oil spills in environmentally sensitive areas.

They said Alberta’s oil sands extractions — a heavier crude that consumes more energy and generates more carbon dioxide in the refining process than lighter oil — making it an even bigger contributor to climate change.

Read more: Line 3 pipeline opponents file suit on behalf of wild rice

Members of First Nations, environmentalists and others also argued the line would violate treaty rights and risk spills in waters where Native Americans harvest wild rice.

More than 900 people have been arrested or ticketed at protests along the route since construction began.

1:55 Enbridge defies Michigan order, plans to continue operating Line 5

Enbridge defies Michigan order, plans to continue operating Line 5 – May 12, 2021

Enbridge said the project was necessary to replace and expand a deteriorating pipeline built in the 1960s, which could carry only half its original volume of oil.

In June, Enbridge was handed a victory by the Minnesota Court of Appeals, which affirmed the approvals granted by independent regulators that allowed construction on the Minnesota leg to begin last December.

Read more: Minnesota court affirms approval of Enbridge’s Line 3 oil pipeline

The state-of-the-art, thicker-walled pipe used for the replacement will ensure a “safe, reliable supply of North American crude oil to U.S. refineries,” the company said Wednesday.

The Line 3 project is expected to add about 370,000 barrels per day of crude oil export capacity from Western Canada into the U.S. The process of filling the line starts in North Dakota on Friday, Enbridge said.

The main remaining tasks are cleanup and restoration along the route, said Leo Golden, an Enbridge vice president in charge of the project.

Some parts have already been completely restored with crops and native grasses growing on them, he said. But construction mats still need to be removed from wetlands and other cleanup work will continue through next summer.

“We’re not done restoring until we go to the landowners and we walk the land with them and they say `Yes, you’re done’ and sign off,” Golden said.

Golden said they don’t expect to get the final signoffs from landowners along the route until next summer.

Read more: Line 3 pipeline to be in service by end of year, despite legal challenges: Enbridge

Canada’s energy sector has been hamstrung by a lack of pipeline infrastructure in recent years.

An IHS Markit report from December found that delays in the expansion of the export pipeline capacity have contributed to lower prices in Western Canada, representing a loss of $17 billion for the crude oil industry over the last five years.

Read more: Should I stay or should I go: Oil, gas workers consider prospects amid global energy transition

In June, TC Energy Corp. cancelled its Keystone XL Pipeline project, leaving Enbridge’s Line 3 project and the Trans Mountain Pipeline project (owned by the federal government) as Canada’s main pipeline projects.

The Trans Mountain pipeline project is expected to be in service by December 2022.

Between the two projects, the total export addition of nearly one million bpd is expected to account for Western Canada’s oil export needs at least through the first half of the decade.

Read more: Campaign by Alberta’s energy war room aims to promote Canadian oil to Americans

— With files from Steve Karnowski, The Associated Press

© 2021 The Canadian Press

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Labour shortage hampering post-pandemic recovery for businesses in Canada, study finds - CBC.ca

It's almost October, but crews at Romaniuk Heating and Air Conditioning will be installing air conditioners in Edmonton for several more weeks.

The company has a backlog of orders largely because it's struggled for months to find enough workers as business boomed during the pandemic.

The situation has been so dire, it's pulling in crews from Ontario to help in Alberta and British Columbia.

"We've tripled our crews. We recruit constantly," said Collin Goodyear, the company's general manager in Alberta.

"This past week, we've probably hired about eight people locally."

A worker with Romaniuk Heating and Air Conditioning installs a new natural gas furnace at a home in northwest Edmonton. The company has a backlog of orders largely because it's struggled for months to find enough workers as business boomed during the pandemic. (Kyle Bakx/CBC)

According to Statistics Canada's latest job vacancy data, the labour shortage is widespread across the country in several different sectors of the economy — despite a national unemployment rate above seven per cent. The inability to find enough workers is hampering the post-pandemic economic recovery.

In the hospitality industry, for example, food service bosses are trying to tempt back workers who left during the pandemic with profit-sharing, bonuses and health benefits, among other perks.

"There's been a lack of trust in our industry in terms of us having to open and close so many times in the last 18 to 19 months," said Ernie Tsu, owner of the Trolley 5 Community Brewpub in Calgary and president of the Alberta Hospitality Association.

"For us to try to get manpower back into the industry, the No. 1 component right now we need from the government is for our industry to stay open," he said.

Ernie Tsu, president of the Alberta Hospitality Association, says food service employers are finding it difficult to bring back staff who left during the pandemic and lure new people to join the industry. (Kyle Bakx/CBC)

At the Lazy Loaf & Kettle in Calgary, for every 20 interviews that are arranged to fill a position, usually only one or two people will show up.

"At first it was really frustrating. By this point, it's just expected," said Matt Proctor, a manager at the café.

'This is not going to go away'

Fifty-five per cent of small and medium-sized businesses in Canada are struggling to hire the workers they need, which is limiting growth and forcing businesses to delay or refuse new orders, according to results of a study released Wednesday morning by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), a Crown corporation that assists entrepreneurs.

"It's everywhere. It's in every industry and every part of the country. It's more acute in some parts of the country, like Quebec and B.C.," Pierre Cléroux, BDC's chief economist, said in an interview with CBC News.

Pierre Cléroux is chief economist at the Business Development Bank of Canada, which has released a new study on the labour shortage. 'It's in every industry and every part of the country,' he says. (LinkedIn)

The study's key findings include: 64 per cent of entrepreneurs say their growth is limited by a shortage of labour; 61 per cent report that they must boost their hours and/or their employees' hours; and 44 per cent have delayed or are unable to deliver orders to clients.

The study is based on a survey of 1,251 Canadian entrepreneurs and a survey of 3,000 Canadians about their jobs.

Some business groups have criticized federal pandemic income benefits, such as the Canada recovery benefit (CRB), arguing that while they've helped the unemployed, they've made the labour market worse by discouraging job hunting.

The labour shortage is much more complex, Cléroux said, considering the country's aging population and the limited number of immigrants who arrived in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, many businesses were already struggling to find staff before the pandemic was declared in March 2020.

The CRB and other federal pandemic benefits are scheduled to end on Oct. 23.

"This is not going to go away. This is going to stay with us," Cléroux said about the labour shortage.

The pandemic has jostled the labour market, with about 20 per cent of Canadians who lost their jobs moving into a different sector, he said.

Not everyone is able to find work in their preferred industry or at the wage they're accustomed to earning.

WATCH | Post-pandemic economic recovery slowed by labour shortages: 

Ongoing economic recovery slowed by labour shortages

19 days ago

The Canadian economy may have added 90,000 jobs in August, but employment in some sectors including hotels and restaurants is still below pre-pandemic levels. Adding to the complicated jobs picture, some businesses are reporting a struggle to rehire employees. 2:01

Kent Cranmer of Calgary worked for a large construction firm for more than three years before he was laid off six months ago.

"I thought that was going to be my retirement job for the rest of my life. Now I don't really know where I'm going to be," he said.

In the interim, the 57-year-old continues to drop off resumés and settle for temporary work.

"I'm struggling. I'm really worried about everything," Cranmer said, including about paying rent on his reduced income.

Higher pay and perks

Businesses are hiking wages and benefit packages to lure new hires, but staffing challenges persist.

"Employers really are struggling. Most of them that are calling us are begging for help," said Sharlene Massie, the owner of About Staffing, a Calgary-based staffing agency.

For some job hunters, the biggest challenge can be choosing between multiple job offers, she said.

"The labour front is really confusing for everybody. We have a really high unemployment rate, and so we should have a number of candidates that are looking for work and accepting jobs left, right and centre, and there should be few jobs, but that's not the case at all," Massie said.

"It's kind of crazy right now."

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Caisse to sell off remaining oil assets by next year - CBC.ca

Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec says it will divest all of its oil investments by next year as part of the pension plan's plan to help combat climate change by cutting its carbon footprint in half by 2030.

The province's public pension fund unveiled its climate change strategy on Tuesday.

A core plank of the policy is to divest all assets that produce crude oil products by the end of 2022. 

"The climate situation affects everyone, and we can no longer address it with the same methods used a few years ago," CEO Charles Emond said. "We have to make important decisions on issues such as oil production and decarbonizing sectors that are essential to our economies."

LISTEN | Can your pension investments be greener? 

What On Earth35:52Why climate change may put your investments at risk

From net-zero pledges to sustainable portfolios, it appears the finance industry is acting on climate change. But Canadian pensions and other funds are still heavily invested in fossil fuels. We look at how our money can be part of the solution. 35:52

The pension plan has been selling off assets in the oil sector, but the declaration means it will move ahead with selling off what it has left.

According to regulatory filings, as of the end of June 2021, the fund owned sizeable stakes in a number of oil companies including:

• $661 million in French oil giant Total
• $397 million worth of oilsands company Canadian Natural Resources
• $359 million in Calgary-based Suncor
• $110 million in Russia's Lukoil
• $65 million in BP
• $61 million in Shell.

The company owns smaller stakes in other public oil companies, along with potentially several more private investments, and large stakes in oil-related companies such as pipelines and natural gas.

Overall, the Caisse has about $390 billion worth of assets, and about one per cent of them — just under $4 billion — are tied up in oil investments.

Public pension funds such as the Caisse have come under increasing pressure in recent years to use their sizeable financial might to try to influence climate policy by investing in companies committed to sustainability.

CBC News reported on one activist group's campaign to raise awareness about the fossil fuel investments of major Canadian pension plans earlier this summer.

Canadian credit rating agency DBRS Morningstar said pension funds are poised "to play a key role in fostering the advance of [sustainability] matters for the broader interests of society; however, their role will be guided by their fiduciary duty to their members and clients."

Not just oil divestment

The fund also says it will move its oil money to other investments, with a view to buying up $54 billion in "green assets" by 2025.

And it has set aside a $10 billion "transition envelope" to invest in carbon-intensive companies outside the energy sector that are trying to go more sustainable. Those industries include makers of raw materials such as metal and plastics, transportation companies upgrading their fleets to use green vehicles and alternative fuels, and agriculture companies such as fertilizer manufacturers.

"With this new strategy, we are demonstrating our leadership as an investor and entering the next stage of climate investing. We believe this is in the interests of our depositors, our portfolio companies and the communities we invest in," Emond said.

Overall, the pension fund says it plans to reduce its total carbon footprint by 60 per cent by 2030.

The pension fund first announced climate targets in 2017, and Tuesday's report shows that it is ahead of that schedule, and advancing its targets even further. The green investment target is three times what the fund owned in 2017, for example.

"In practical terms, we want to increase the supply of renewable energy as well as sustainable mobility and real estate, to contribute directly to the decarbonization of our economy," Emond said.

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Agnico Eagle to buy Kirkland Lake Gold in $13-billion all-stock deal - The Globe and Mail

Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. is buying Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. in an all-stock deal worth about $13-billion, that will see existing Agnico’s long-serving chief executive Sean Boyd move to executive chair, with Kirkland’s top executive Tony Makuch becoming the CEO of the merged entity.

Toronto-based Agnico will pay 0.7935 of its shares for each Kirkland share, valuing Kirkland at $50.06 a share, or more than $5 a share lower than its most recent close of $55.70 a share. Kirkland shares had risen steeply in the past few trading sessions after the mining blog IKN reported that a number of big mining companies were in contention to buy the company. Still, even without the recent runup in Kirkland’s shares, the takeover price doesn’t provide a huge premium. The price is about 1-per-cent higher than Kirkland’s average close over the 10-day period to last Friday.

Shares in Kirkland Gold were trading down by 9 per cent on the Toronto Stock Exchange, in early trading, while Agnico’s stock was off by about 1.8 per cent in early trading.

From the archives: Expect gold mining takeovers, but no takeover premiums

The deal will see two of the industry’s most highly valued companies combine, with mines located in some of the safest jurisdictions, including Canada and Australia.

Agnico’s reserves will rise to 48 million ounces of gold as a result of the deal, with the addition of long-life assets such as Kirkland’s Detour Lake mine in northern Ontario.

The new board will consist of seven directors from Agnico and six from Kirkland.

Mr. Boyd and Mr. Makuch found themselves on the defensive in a conference call with analysts on Tuesday morning. Josh Wolfson, mining analyst with RBC Dominion Securities Inc. raised concerns about the deal on multiple fronts. Mr. Wolfson questioned why Kirkland, which has been a star performer over the past few years, would want to sell itself at this juncture, given it has promised significant growth with its existing assets. He also wondered why Agnico, which has historically shied away from large risky M&A deals, would take such a big swing.

In response, Mr. Boyd said that Agnico will be acquiring only a small number of mines in Canada and Australia, which are some of the most mining-friendly jurisdictions in the world, and therefore its risk profile wasn’t rising.

While Kirkland’s existing growth opportunities are promising, Mr. Makuch acknowledged, he said the company would grow faster, if it is swallowed by Angico. He pointed in particular to Agnico’s LaRonde and Malartic mines in Quebec. The Malartic open pit mine is one of the biggest in the country and it is set to transition over time to an underground operation.

Both companies had been in discussions with each other about a possible deal for a few years, and Mr. Makuch said that Kirkland also talked to other companies before settling on Agnico as its acquirer.

Over the past few years, the global gold industry has consolidated rapidly with a number of large deals consummated, including Barrick Gold Corp. buying Randgold Resources Ltd. for US$6-billion and Newmont Corp. buying Goldcorp Inc. for US$10-billion. Investors have generally welcomed the deals with takeover premiums remaining low for the most part.

Agnico and Kirkland have both participated in M&A as well, with Kirkland buying Detour Gold Corp for $4.9-billion in 2019, and Agnico earlier this year buying junior miner TMAC Resources for $269-million.

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Some people confused about how to access electronic version of BC Vaccine Card - Kelowna News - Castanet.net

Cindy White

Some people are finding it difficult to navigate the ins and outs of getting the electronic version of the BC Vaccine Card, now mandatory at restaurants, gyms, casinos and other venues.

One woman contacted Castanet because she’s frustrated with how complicated and confusing it is.

“It pisses me off for people who aren’t savvy and, or willing to do the research. So, I’ve been sitting on Google putting in every keyword that I can think of to get this up and on.” Kim Prost says calling it a card is misleading when it’s actually not a piece of paper but a downloadable document with a QR code.

Others say they don’t have a smartphone and wonder how they can get a paper copy.
The province has details on its website, but it does take a bit of digging to find the information.

There are a number of options:

• Ask a friend or family member to help by giving you access to a computer or printer.
• Visit a library to print your card
• Order a paper copy by phone by calling 1-833-838-2323 (Note: you can’t request a paper copy for someone else).
• Print a copy at a Service BC office

Once you have your electronic vaccine card, you’ll need to show it when required, and also make sure to bring I.D.

“That’s the one that we’re having the biggest problem with is sometimes people don’t have that other verification I.D.,” says Ian Tostenson, President/CEO, British Columbia Restaurant and Foodservices Association.

He suggests if you’re taking a screenshot or scanning your electronic vaccine card, also save copies of your other documents like your driver's license to your phone.

So, how are restaurants faring with enforcement?

“We’re actually getting emails from people saying I went to a restaurant, they didn’t quite do it right, or I went to a restaurant and now I feel so safe, I’m going to go to a restaurant because I want to be with other people who are vaccinated. So it’s a very positive story that’s developed,” says Tostenson.

He adds, there are few negative reports coming in. “There’s about 100 restaurants in B.C. that have decided not to do this. I don’t know why they wouldn’t because the reason that they’re open is because the industry is taking on the vax card in order to stay open. So as we do that and they defy it, it makes no sense. Plus the fact we want to play our significant role in the health of British Columbians.”

Interior Health says it is taking a progressive compliance approach with businesses, starting with education and escalating to tickets and closure when necessary. If any fines or orders are issued they will be posted on the Interior Health website.

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Nova Scotia reports 96th COVID-19 related death, 83 new cases over the weekend - CTV News Atlantic

HALIFAX -- Health officials in Nova Scotia are reporting the province’s 96th death related to COVID-19 on Thursday.

In a news release, N.S. Health says a man in his 80s died in the Central zone.

"On behalf of all Nova Scotians, I offer our condolences to the family and friends grieving the loss of their loved one," said Premier Tim Houston in a news release. "The actions of every single Nova Scotian are critical right now. Everyone has a role to play to keep this virus under control. Let's do it together - get vaccinated, and stay home and get tested if you have symptoms."

"It is never easy to hear that a Nova Scotian has passed away as a result of COVID-19. My thoughts and prayers are with those who are grieving," added Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health in a news release. "This is a sad day, and it reminds us how serious the virus is. I cannot emphasize enough how critical it is to get vaccinated and follow public health measures to prevent further illness and death from this virus." 

The province also reported 83 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend, along with 46 recoveries, as the number of active cases in the province rises to 205.

• 65 new cases were identified in the province's Central zone.
• 8 new cases were identified in the province's Western zone.
• 6 new cases were identified in the province's Northern zone.
• 4 new cases were identified in the province's Eastern zone.

Public Health says it is closely monitoring all four health zones for community spread.

COVID-19 CASE DATA

Nova Scotia Health Authority's labs completed 3,726 tests on Sept. 24; 3,246 tests on Sept. 25; and 2,659 tests on Sept. 26. A total of 1,203,224 COVID-19 tests have been processed since the start of the pandemic.

According to the province's online COVID-19 dashboard, there have been 6,569 cumulative COVID-19 cases in Nova Scotia. Of those, 6,268 people have recovered and 94 have died due to COVID-19.

There are currently 11 people in hospital in Nova Scotia due to COVID-19, with one in an intensive care unit.

Since August 1, there have been 673 positive COVID-19 cases and one death. Of the new cases since August 1, 466 are now considered resolved.

There are cases confirmed across the province, but most have been identified in the Central zone, which contains the Halifax Regional Municipality.

The provincial government says cumulative cases by zone may change as data is updated in Panorama, the province’s electronic information system.

The numbers reflect where a person lives and not where their sample was collected.

• Western zone: 339 cases (13 active case)
• Central zone: 5,063 cases (163 active cases)
• Northern zone: 506 cases (20 active cases)
• Eastern zone: 661 cases (9 active cases)

The provincial state of emergency, which was first declared on March 22, 2020, has been extended to Oct. 3, 2021.

VACCINE UPDATE

The province's COVID-19 online dashboard provides an update on the number of vaccines that have been administered to date.

As of Monday, 1,500,471 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered.

In total, 80.1 per cent of the province's overall population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 74.3 per cent of Nova Scotians have received their second dose.

The province says it has received a total of 1,661,340 doses of COVID-19 vaccine since Dec. 15.

All Nova Scotians are encouraged to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as they are eligible. COVID-19 vaccination appointments can be made online or by phone at 1-833-797-7772.

COVID ALERT APP

Canada’s COVID-19 Alert app is available in Nova Scotia.

The app, which can be downloaded through the Apple App Store or Google Play, notifies users if they may have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

LIST OF SYMPTOMS

Anyone who experiences a fever or new or worsening cough, or two or more of the following new or worsening symptoms, is encouraged to take an online test or call 811 to determine if they need to be tested for COVID-19:

• Sore throat
• Headache
• Shortness of breath
• Runny nose/nasal congestion  

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Rescue efforts underway after 39 miners trapped underground in Sudbury | Globalnews.ca - Globalnews.ca

Rescue efforts are underway after 39 miners became trapped underground at Vale’s Totten mine in Sudbury, Ont., on Sunday afternoon.

On Monday afternoon, a Vale spokesperson confirmed the rescue crew had reached the miners and is starting the ascent. The company expects everyone to reach the surface by Monday night.

Read more: Sudbury police search for suspect in hit-and-run homicide investigation

“We have learned that no one is injured, which is our number one concern,” Vale spokesperson Jeffrey Lewis said in an email.

“The miners have had and continue to have access to water, food and medicine.”

The company said the conveyance for transporting employees was taken offline following an incident in the shaft on Sunday afternoon.

It confirmed that employees will exit the mine through a secondary egress ladder system with the support of Vale’s mine rescue team.

When the incident took place, the employees underground immediately went to refuge stations as part of what Vale called its “normal procedures.”

Read more: Updates to B.C.’s tailings code after Mount Polley disaster an improvement: auditor

“We have been in frequent communication with them since the incident,” the company said in a statement. “We are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of these employees.”

On Monday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he’s relieved to hear the miners are uninjured.

“Our thoughts are with the 39 miners trapped underground in Sudbury as rescue teams work to get them safely above ground,” Ford tweeted.

Timmins—James Bay MP Charlie Angus also said he’s praying for the safety of the mining workers.

“Let’s get everyone home,” he said.

Our thoughts are with the 39 miners trapped underground in #Sudbury as rescue teams work to get them safely above ground.

We understand this rescue will take some time and are very relieved to hear the miners are currently uninjured.https://t.co/IpmCwnN1ZP

— Doug Ford (@fordnation) September 27, 2021

Praying for the safety of the 39 workers trapped underground at Totten Mine. I know that @MineRescue_Ted are highly trained and motivated.
Let's get everyone home. https://t.co/B4UCL4y0IX

— Charlie Angus NDP (@CharlieAngusNDP) September 27, 2021

0:45 Maintenance workers trapped in Saskatchewan potash mine rescued, are safe

Maintenance workers trapped in Saskatchewan potash mine rescued, are safe – Jul 4, 2019

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