The Pipeline Profiles interactive maps provide publicly accessible information about CER-regulated pipeline systems. These maps provide information about the pipeline systems we regulate and allow the user to zoom in and view nearby communities and other geographic features.
The information displayed on this map is not meant to be comprehensive, and some datasets have been filtered to show only the most relevant information. Please see the Interactive Pipeline Map to see a more comprehensive picture of CER-regulated pipelines.
This information is also not intended for locating pipelines for construction activities or any other soil disturbance in the area around a pipeline. Please check our Damage Prevention Website for information on where to Click Before you Dig.
Terms of Use
The Canada Energy Regulator (CER) provides this information for personal and non-commercial uses. The information contained in this map is based on externally sourced information. The CER makes no representations regarding the accuracy of this information. The CER accepts no responsibility or liability for inaccuracies, errors or omissions in the data and any loss, damage or costs incurred as a result of using or relying on the map data in any way.
The pipeline data contained in this map is subject to licensing terms and may not be reproduced, published, distributed or transferred in whole or in part. The map also contains information license under the Open Government License - Canada.
The Canadian Energy Regulator is bound by the Official Language Act and relevant Treasury Board policies. However, some material on these pages originates from organizations not subject to the Official Languages Act and is made available on this project page in the language in which it was written.
Sources and Description
Sources
The information contained in these maps is obtained from the following sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) (U.S. Pipelines); Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI) (The Community Map of Canada); Geomatics Data Management Inc. (GDM) (CER-regulated pipelines); Government of Canada: Natural Resources Canada, and Surveyor General Branch (Indigenous Lands); Government of Canada: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (Modern and Historic Treaties).
Description
This map displays the Trans Mountain Pipeline. The Trans Mountain Pipeline extends from Edmonton, Alberta to Burnaby, British Columbia, with delivery points in Kamloops, Sumas, and Burnaby, B.C. This map also displays the U.S. section of the Trans Mountain Pipeline in the northwest of Washington state.
History
The Trans Mountain Pipeline was built in 1953. The pipeline has been modified over the years to ship a variety of crude oils and refined products, and to respond to changing customer needs.
The Trans Mountain Expanded System serves markets in British Columbia, Washington State, California, and Asia. It currently has a capacity of approximately 890,000 barrels per day and is the second-highest capacity oil pipeline in Canada.
Recent events and projects
The Anchor Loop Project [Folder 399196] was approved in 2006 to install a second pipeline (loop) next to the existing pipeline from Hinton, Alberta, to a location near Rearguard, British Columbia.
This pipeline extends through Jasper National Park and Mount Robson Provincial Park. This project increased the capacity of the pipeline by 40,000 barrels per day.
The Anchor Loop Project also involved the deactivation of the existing pipeline. This was maintained in a deactivated state until additional capacity was needed.
The deactivated pipeline from this project was one of the two sections that will be reactivated as part of the Trans Mountain Expansion project.
The Trans Mountain Expansion project was proposed in 2013 [Folder 2392873] by the Trans Mountain Pipeline ULC. At the time, it was owned and operated by Kinder Morgan.
The scope of the expansion project includes:
Building a second pipeline to twin the existing pipeline in Alberta and British Columbia
New and modified pump stations and tanks
An expansion of the Westridge Marine Terminal in Burnaby, British Columbia
It is now owned and operated by a federal crown corporation (the Trans Mountain Corporation). Pipeline construction started in 2019 in the Edmonton area.
In November 2021, severe flooding throughout the lower mainland of British Columbia resulted in the shutdown of the Trans Mountain Pipeline for 21 days, the longest period in the pipeline’s history.
Involving Indigenous monitors has enhanced the CER’s awareness and understanding of the diversity of Indigenous traditional and cultural practices, including specific expertise in traditional land use, sacred sites, and historical knowledge.
The Trans Mountain Expanded System has a nameplate capacity of approximately 890 thousand barrels per day (Mb/d). The Trans Mountain Expansion Project came online on 1 May 2024. Prior to that date, Trans Mountain’s nameplate capacity was approximately 300 Mb/d.
Construction of TMEP. Trans Mountain applies for various routing and other variances over the 2017 – 2021 period.
June 2019
On 18 June 2019, the Governor in Council (GIC) approves the TMEP, subject to 156 conditions. On 21 June 2019, the National Energy Board (NEB), predecessor of the CER, issues a Certificate for the project (OC-065).
Feb 2019
On 2 February 2019, the NEB submits its Reconsideration Report (A98021) to the GIC recommending approval of the TMEP.
Trans Mountain submits an application to the NEB for the TMEP [Folder 2392873]. The project includes:
Pipeline facilities that complete a twinning of the existing Trans Mountain pipeline system in Alberta and British Columbia, with about 1,000 kilometres (km) of new buried pipeline.
New and modified facilities, such as pump stations, tanks, and reactivation of a pipeline segment.
Additional tanker loading facilities at the Westridge Marine Terminal in Burnaby.
Increasing Trans Mountain’s shipping capacity to 890,000 b/d.
June 2012 - May 2013
In June 2012, Trans Mountain applies to the NEB for approval of the transportation service to be provided and the toll methodology to be used on a future planned expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline system. In January 2013, Trans Mountain files a revised application. In May 2013, the NEB approves the toll methodology as filed (RH-001-2012 Reasons for Decision).
2008
The Trans Mountain pipeline system capacity increases to 300,000 b/d with the Anchor Loop expansion, adding approximately 160 km of new pipeline between Hinton, AB, and Hargreaves, BC.
1956 - 1957
The Trans Mountain pipeline system capacity increases to 250,000 b/d with construction of two pipeline loops and three additional pumping stations. The Westridge Marine Terminal is built and commissioned in Burnaby.
Oct 1953 – Major Facility Change
The first shipment of oil reaches the Trans Mountain Burnaby Terminal, marking the operational start of the 1,150 km Trans Mountain pipeline system. The project’s initial capacity is 150,000 b/d and includes four pump stations and a marine dock. Initial planned capacity for the Trans Mountain line was 75,000 b/d; however, as construction proceeded, developments suggested the need for more capacity. The Board of Transport Commissioners provides the Trans Mountain Oil Pipe Line Company with an operating permit.
Mar 1951
The Trans Mountain Oil Pipe Line Company is established with the granting of a charter by the Parliament of Canada.
Throughputs at the Burnaby key point have increased by 11.8% quarter over quarter, from an average of 85.65 Mb/d in Q2 2024 to an average of 95.75 Mb/d in Q3 2024 (most recent quarter of data).
Throughputs at the Sumas key point have increased by 1.6% quarter over quarter, from an average of 228.43 Mb/d in Q2 2024 to an average of 232.08 Mb/d in Q3 2024 (most recent quarter of data).
Throughputs at the Westridge key point have increased by 131.2% quarter over quarter, from an average of 157.60 Mb/d in Q2 2024 to an average of 364.40 Mb/d in Q3 2024 (most recent quarter of data).
Key Point Description
Burnaby - Delivers light crude oil to the 55,000 b/d Parkland Refinery in Burnaby BC, and delivers refined petroleum products for use in Burnaby and surrounding areas.
Sumas - Connection between the Trans Mountain Pipeline and the Trans Mountain Puget Sound Pipeline in Abbotsford, BC. Light crude oil and smaller volumes of heavy crude oil are diverted for export to nearby refineries in Anacortes, Cherry Point, and Ferndale on the west coast of Washington State.
Westridge - A delivery point on the system located within Port Metro Vancouver, the Westridge Marine Terminal is able to load crude oil tankers with primarily heavy crude oil for various markets, including Asia and California.
Annual Average Throughput: Burnaby Sumas Westridge (Mb/d)
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Domestic Heavy
25.8
56.0
52.2
70.0
76.8
45.1
59.7
58.8
56.9
34.7
25.7
27.3
63.5
16.9
30.7
34.9
25.8
31.1
135
Domestic Light
139
132
141
156
173
180
183
169
181
224
238
224
189
256
240
232
261
281
324
Refined Petroleum Products
64.8
66.3
43.9
54.4
47.8
48.5
48.0
49.5
54.3
57.2
51.4
56.8
34.5
41.1
40.4
32.3
35.7
35.3
39.2
Total
229
254
237
280
298
274
291
277
292
316
316
308
287
314
312
299
323
348
499
Note: The physical capacity of a pipeline is based on many factors such as the products being carried, direction of flow, pipeline pumping capacity, and maintenance work or other pressure restrictions. The actual physical capacity of the pipeline may, at times, be higher than the assumed operational capacity stated here.
Dashboard instructions
Click on a key point button above the chart & map to view traffic at a different location. The map shows approximate locations on the pipeline where throughputs & capacity are recorded by the pipeline operator.
Click and drag your mouse on the area chart to zoom into the desired date range. Click on the Reset Zoom button to reset the full date range.
Click on the chart legend items below the chart to remove & add sections of data as required.
The key point trends are calculated using quarterly average traffic at the key point. Natural gas throughput trends are displayed year over year (last full quarter of data compared to the same quarter last year). Crude oil and liquids key point trends are displayed quarter over quarter (last full quarter of data compared to the previous quarter).
Note: The five-year average is calculated for natural gas key points using the total throughput across all trade types and direction of flows. For bi-directional key points (both export and import) the throughput is displayed for both directions, instead of the five-year average.
Description: The above dashboard displays pipeline throughput and capacity at key point(s) along the system. Where possible, the five-year average and five-year range for throughput is shown with the current year throughput to better highlight the trends. For pipeline key points with a defined location, a map is displayed next to the graph showing the approximate key point location where pipeline throughput and capacity are recorded.
A conversion of 1 cubic meter = 6.2898 barrels of oil is used in this dashboard
Markets
Section updated: October 2024
Markets
The Trans Mountain pipeline is one of the four major crude oil export pipelines that transport oil from the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin to export markets in the U.S. The other pipelines are the Enbridge Canadian Mainline, the Keystone pipeline, and the Express pipeline.
The Trans Mountain pipeline transports crude oil and refined petroleum products from Edmonton, Alberta to refineries and terminals in British Columbia and Washington State. Crude oil is also shipped to offshore markets in Asia and the U.S. west coast via the Westridge Marine Terminal in Burnaby, British Columbia.
Apportionment
Section updated: August 2024
Apportionment
A shipper must submit nominations each month it wishes to move its oil on a pipeline. Shippers must submit nominations for both committed (or contracted) transportation service, if available, as well as uncommitted transportation service. If the total volume of nominations for uncommitted capacity is more than what is available, the pipeline company must “apportion” the nominations.
Apportionment is the percentage by which each shipper’s nominated volume is reduced in order to match the pipeline’s uncommitted capacity. Generally, apportionment is applied equally across all shippers seeking to use that capacity: for example, if shipper A nominates 100 barrels and shipper B nominates 1 000 barrels, then, under 10% apportionment, shipper A will be able to ship 90 barrels, and shipper B will ship 900 barrels.
From 2010 through 2014, the Trans Mountain system was in consistent and substantial apportionment. In October 2013, Trans Mountain submitted an application to revise its nomination verification procedures to address the apportionment issue [Folder 1053909]. The NEB approved the application, allowing for the introduction of historical-based verification limits in March 2015.
The interactive graph below shows data for nominations and apportionment on the pipeline system.
Description: The above chart displays pipeline nomination data for the pipeline system. Original nominations are shown as a blue area on the chart, with available pipeline capacity shown as a yellow line. If available, the apportionment percent can be toggled onto the chart as a green line by clicking on “Apportionment Percent” directly below the chart.
A conversion of 1 cubic meter = 6.2898 barrels of oil is used in this dashboard
Nomination and verification procedures
Section updated: October 2024
Nomination and verification procedures procedures
Pipeline tariffs specify the procedures by which shippers are to submit nominations for transportation service, including the form and timing of nominations. The tariffs also set out the rights and authorities of pipeline companies to verify nominations. The CER regulates and determines compliance with tariffs for pipelines under its jurisdiction, which include the major export pipelines from western Canada. Pipeline companies and shippers are required to follow the rules and regulations of transportation service as set out in the tariffs.
Trans Mountain uses different types of verification, depending on the circumstances. For each shipper’s nomination, Trans Mountain requires written third-party verification from the interconnected upstream facility that the shipper has the capability to tender product to satisfy its nominated volume. Trans Mountain also requires written third-party verification from the downstream delivery destination that the shipper has the capability to remove its nominated volume from the pipeline. If a shipper cannot provide upstream verification or destination verification from unaffiliated third parties, Trans Mountain requires the shipper to provide a certificate executed by an officer that addresses both supply and destination verification.
Trans Mountain’s tolls are currently charged on an interim basis [news release] and are subject to an ongoing hearing process [Folder 4369664].
The interim tolls are based on a toll methodology set out in agreements signed with committed shippers and approved by the NEB in 2013 [Folder 828580]. The tolls have been determined using estimates of the cost of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project.
Committed (also known as “firm service”) tolls vary by contract term, volume commitment, pipeline route (combination of receipt and delivery point), and the type of product shipped. Tolls are lower for 20-year committed service than for 15-year committed service, and tolls are lower for contracts with volume commitments equal to or greater than 75,000 barrels per day.
Uncommitted tolls are set at a premium to committed tolls.
Official CER documents related to the traffic, tolls and tariffs for the Trans Mountain Pipeline can be found here: Trans Mountain Pipeline toll documents [Folder 552980].
Description: The above chart displays tolls data for the pipeline system. Only major or benchmark toll paths are shown for illustrative purposes. To see tolls for all available system paths, see the tariff filing.
The CER requires all pipeline companies to set aside funds to safely cease operation of their pipelines at the end of their useful lives. In 2016, Trans Mountain estimated it would cost $368 million to do this. In 2024, this number was revised to $647 million. These funds are being collected and set aside in a trust. Collection period end date part way through November 2053.
Table 1: Trans Mountain Pipeline’s abandonment trust fund balance
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Trust fund balance ($)
73,246,000
92,731,000
99,837,000
92,266,000
112,058,000
Official CER documents related to abandonment funding can be found here, sorted by year and by company: abandonment funding documents [Folder 3300366].
The Canadian Energy Regulator Act requires major oil pipeline companies to set aside funds to pay for the costs of any incident that occurs, such as a spill. See sections 136 to 142 of the Act for more information. Trans Mountain Pipeline ULC has demonstrated that it has financial resources in excess of $1 billion dollars. Official CER documents can be found here: Trans Mountain financial resource requirements documents [Folder 2949657].
Pipeline financial information
Section updated: October 2024
Pipeline companies report important financial information to the CER quarterly or annually. A strong financial position enables companies to maintain their pipeline systems, attract capital to build new infrastructure, and meet the market’s evolving needs. The data in this table comes from Trans Mountain’s incentive toll settlement filings with the CER [Folder 552980].
Table 2: Trans Mountain Pipeline financial data
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Revenue (million $)
274.5
286
287.4
294.8
321.5
317.9
342.2
382.4
416.6
Revenue requirement (million $)
292.6
269.8
287.2
283.5
326.9
293.2
326.6
382.8
389.4
Net income (million $)
38.5
47.1
42.9
47.3
38.4
44.4
47
56.3
55.3
Average rate base (million $)
1,005.3
1,004.7
984.6
970.5
965.1
980.5
998.5
1,032.5
1,053.3
Deemed equity ratio (%)
45
45
45
45
45
45
45
45
45
ROE (%)
8.5
10.43
9.69
10.83
8.84
10.07
10.46
12.13
11.67
Disclaimer
The financial information presented in Table 2 reflects regulatory information prepared by each CER-regulated pipeline company and filed quarterly or annually with the CER. This information is filed to inform shippers, the CER and other interested parties on pipeline revenues and expenses and is used in monitoring pipeline transportation costs. Methodologies used in the preparation of this financial information may reflect regulatory decisions and guidance and unique negotiated agreements between a pipeline company and its shippers and interested parties. These methodologies, and the resulting financial information presented, may not follow established accounting principles used in other corporate reporting, and may not be comparable between different CER-regulated companies. For more information, please see the regulatory documents in CER’s REGDOCS and any associated notes contained within them.
Corporate financial information
Section updated: October 2024
The Trans Mountain Pipeline is owned by Trans Mountain Corporation, which is a federal Crown corporation. It is accountable to Parliament through the Canada Development Investment Corporation (CDEV). As a wholly-owned subsidiary of CDEV it is governed by an independent Board of Directors.
Financial regulatory audits
Section updated: March 2025
The CER audits pipeline companies to confirm compliance with the Canadian Energy Regulator Act, regulations, CER orders, and CER decisions. Financial regulatory audits focus on toll and tariff matters such as detecting cross-subsidies. Trans Mountain’s last audit was completed on July 25 2022.
Official CER documents related to Trans Mountain’s financial regulatory audits can be found here: [Folder 4236475].
Every pipeline company in Canada must meet federal, provincial or territorial, and local requirements. This includes Acts, Regulations, rules, bylaws, and zoning restrictions. Pipelines are also bound by technical, safety, and environmental standards along with company rules, protocols and management systems. In addition to these requirements, the Commission may add conditions to regulatory instruments that each company must meet. Conditions are project-specific and are designed to protect public and the environment by reducing possible risks identified during the application process.
Condition compliance is part of the CER's oversight and enforcement action is taken when required.
Conditions can be related to a specific region, or apply to the pipeline project as a whole. The map below displays the number of in progress and closed conditions mapped to economic regions as defined by Statistics Canada.
Conditions can typically be either in-progress or closed. The CER follows up on in-progress conditions.
In-Progress
This status refers to conditions that continue to be monitored by the CER. This happens when:
condition filings have not yet been received by the CER; or,
filings have been received but are under review or do not yet meet requirements; or,
a project is not completed and it has conditions, which have not been met; or,
a project has a post-construction condition, but a requirement has not yet been completed; or,
some conditions may be active indefinitely or refer to the continued operation of a pipeline.
Closed
This status refers to:
condition requirements that have been satisfied, and no further submissions from the company are required; or
conditions whose filings or actions apply to a specific phase that have been fulfilled as the phase is completed (i.e. a specific filing during construction phase). Note: comments on the required actions can still be received.
Dashboard: Trans Mountain Pipeline - In Progress Conditions by Region
Some conditions are not tied to a geographic location.
No geographic location summary for Trans Mountain Pipeline:
In Progress conditions: 43
Closed conditions: 45
Dashboard instructions
Click on a region to view conditions info
Click map area outside of regions to hide info
Note: Some conditions apply to multiple regions. Conditions may be double counted across regions, resulting in a higher number of conditions than the totals seen in the buttons above.
Description: The above map displays the number of CER conditions associated with projects approved by the Commission. The map is split into two tabs which show in-progress and closed conditions separately, mapped to an economic region. If a company has no in-progress conditions specific to an economic region, the dashboard will default to show the closed conditions by region. An additional view is available which contains the number of in-progress and closed conditions that don't have a corresponding economic region in the dataset. The map regions are shaded based on the number of conditions, with lighter coloured regions containing fewer conditions compared to darker colors. Conditions that apply to more than one region are double counted in the map, and these conditions will appear in the map region total and map region breakdown for each applicable region. The condition counts contained in the map navigation buttons represent total conditions without region double counting.
Have you checked out the CER's interactive conditions data visualization? This tool offers a deep dive into the CER's conditions compliance data and process, exploring conditions across all CER regulated companies by keyword, project, and location.
Reported incidents
Section updated: November 2024
Reported Incidents
The information presented here is based on CER data (2008 to current) for incidents reported under the Onshore Pipeline Regulations and the Processing Plant Regulations. New data is added quarterly. Learn more on how incident data collection has evolved since the NEB (now the CER) was established in 1959.
Companies must report events, such as incidents, to the CER in accordance with the CER Event Reporting Guidelines. Knowing what happened, and why, helps us find ways to prevent them from happening again.
What is an incident? (Onshore Pipeline Regulations (OPR))
As defined in the OPR, “incident” means an occurrence that results in:
the death or serious injury to a person;
a significant adverse effect on the environment;
an unintended fire or explosion;
an unintended or uncontained release of low vapour pressure (LVP) hydrocarbons in excess of 1.5 m³
an unintended or uncontrolled release of gas or high vapour pressure (HVP) hydrocarbons;
the operation of a pipeline beyond its design limits as determined under CSA Z662 or CSA Z276 or any operating limits imposed by the CER.
What is an incident? (Processing Plant Regulations (PPR))
As defined in the PPR, “incident” is defined as an occurrence that results or could result in a significant adverse effect on property, the environment, or the safety of persons. For the purposes of incident reporting in the PPR, events that fall under this definition include, but are not limited to:
the death or serious injury to a person;
a significant adverse effect on the environment;
an unintended fire or explosion that results in or has the potential to result in damage to company, public/crown or personal property;
an unintended or uncontained release of low vapour pressure (LVP) hydrocarbons in excess of 1.5 m³
an unintended or uncontrolled release of gas, HVP hydrocarbons, hydrogen sulfide or other poisonous gas; or
the operation of a plant beyond its design limits or any limits imposed by the CER.
Incidents and the CER
Companies self-report incidents and are expected to take a precautionary approach in doing so. This means that even when there is doubt as to whether an incident should be reported, the company must report it. The approach is, “When in doubt, report.” This is consistent with CER-regulated companies’ responsibility for anticipating, preventing, mitigating and managing incidents of any size or duration.
The CER reviews all reported incidents to assess whether companies have taken the appropriate corrective actions and to identify potential trends in incidents. Each incident is given a status indicating the current stage of the CER's incident review.
CER Status
Initially Submitted: The company has notified the CER that an incident has occurred and provided preliminary information. A review has been initiated.
Submitted: The company has submitted all of the required information and the CER is reviewing the incident.
Closed: The CER’s incident review has been completed and the file is closed.
The Trans Mountain Pipeline has reported a total of 239 incidents since 2008. Of those incidents, 17 have resulted in some volume of product being released, with crude oil - sweet being the most commonly released substance. The dashboard below provides some more information about these product release incidents.
Part of the CER's incident review classifies incidents based on the
circumstances that directly led to the incident (what happened), and the underlying reasons for the incident (why it happened).
On this pipeline system, the most common what happened is incorrect operation and the most common why it happened is human factors . Take a look at the incident trends section of the dashboard below for definitions and a breakdown of what and why.
The dashboard below displays only the incidents that resulted in a release of product from the pipeline, however there are other important incident types that may not appear on the dashboard. Of Trans Mountain Pipeline's reported incidents, 41 have resulted in adverse environmental effects. There have been 44 serious injuries, and 1 fatality related to incident events. Open the dropdown below to view the definitions of these incident types.
Incident type definitions: one incident can have multiple types
Release of Substance (featured in the dashboard) - Any time a product is unintentionally released. (Releases of non-gas low pressure products in volumes of less than 1.5 m³ are exempt from reporting.)
Adverse Environmental Effects - When any chemical substance is released at a concentration or volume that has the potential to change the ambient environment in a manner that would cause harm to human life, wildlife or vegetation (e.g., glycol, potassium carbonate, methanol, methanol mix from hydrostatic testing, etc.).
Explosion - An unintended explosion
Fatality - Any death involving employees, contractors or members of the public related to the construction, operation, maintenance or abandonment of pipelines
Fire - An unintended fire
Operation Beyond Design Limits Includes situations, such as:
over-pressures - i.e., pressures that are higher than the maximum the equipment was designed to safely handle;
vibration beyond design limits;
slope movements causing movement in the pipeline beyond design limits;
pipe exposures in rivers or streams; and
introduction of an inappropriate product (e.g., sour gas in excess of CSA limits)
Operation beyond design limit is typically linked to an over-pressure of the product in the pipe; however, if a pipe was exposed to excessive vibration and was not designed for this, this could be considered operation beyond design limits. Operation beyond design limits does not include equipment contacting the pipe, or corrosion pits, etc.
Serious Injury (CER or Transportation Safety Board) - Any serious injury involving employees, contractors or members of the public related to the construction, operation or maintenance of pipelines.
Dashboard: Trans Mountain Pipeline - Incidents with a product release
Description: The above map displays the location of product release incidents that have occurred on the pipeline system since 2008. The map defaults to show incidents as bubbles which are coloured based on the substance released. Incidents on the map can be re-categorized based on the most recently available status of the CER's incident review, the year in which the incident was reported, and the province/territory where the incident occurred. The incident map bubble can be switched to show the estimated volume of product released, with larger map bubbles showing larger release volumes relative to other product releases on the system. The incident data can also be toggled to display a stacked bar chart of incidents over time by clicking on the incident trends button above the map. The stacked bars display the number of product release incidents by year, with bar colour segments corresponding to the various products released. Similar to the map, incidents can be re-categorized by clicking on the side buttons to view a breakdown of incidents by status, what happened, why it happened, and province/territory.
Have you checked out the CER's interactive incident data visualization? This tool offers a deep dive into the CER's incident data trends, exploring incidents across all CER regulated companies.
Operations and maintenance activities
Section updated: November 2024
Operations and Maintenance Activities
Oil and gas pipeline companies regularly conduct routine operations and maintenance (O&M) activities on CER regulated pipelines. These activities include things such as pipeline repairs, investigative and integrity digs, and many other activities while promoting safety, security, environmental protection, economic efficiency, and respect for the rights of those that may be affected.
Companies are required to adhere to Canadian Energy Regulator Act’s Onshore Pipeline Regulations and operate their facilities in a manner that is safe and protects the environment. Authorizations for pipelines typically allow companies to construct and operate a facility, and companies are not required to apply for additional approval to undertake most O&M activities. In certain circumstances, companies are required to notify the CER in advance with sufficient information to make a determination as to whether to inspect O&M activities that could result in safety consequences to landowners or the public, environmental consequences, or a negative impact on normal third-party use of the right-of-way (ROW) or adjacent property.
What activities are O&M activities (eligible activities)?
Operations and maintenance activities include:
All activities necessary to safely operate an existing pipeline;
Maintenance activities, upgrades or repairs to an existing pipeline or part of a pipeline that do not increase the approved maximum operating pressure (MOP), the stress level or diameter of the pipeline; or
Physically removing an existing section of pipe up to 5 km in length, and putting a new section of pipe in its place, as long as this replacement does not increase the approved MOP, stress level or diameter of the pipeline.
What O&M Activities require CER approval (restrictions on eligible activities)?
Where any of the following restrictions exist, the company must apply to the Commission in accordance with the CER Act and the related regulations and may not carry out the proposed activity until approval from the Commission has been obtained. The restrictions apply where:
The work includes welding on an in-service pipeline by a pipeline company that has not previously performed in-service welding in accordance with the requirements of CSA Z662-15, Clause 7.17, ‘Welding on In-Service Piping’, or the equivalent clause in the most recent edition of CSA Z662; or
The work involves the construction of an aerial crossing, excluding work on company owned or leased land relating to facilities (e.g., terminal stations, processing plants, compressor/pump stations).
What kinds of activities are not O&M activities (ineligible activities)?
O&M activities do not include:
Upgrades that result in increases above previously approved and specified levels to:
the MOP,
stress levels,
the diameter of the pipeline, and/or
airborne emissions or noise levels.
"Looping" (i.e., adding pipe parallel or adjacent to, and interconnected with, an existing pipeline for the general purpose of increasing capacity);
Construction of a new pipeline; or
Deactivation (for longer than 12 months), reactivation (where a pipeline has been deactivated for more than 12 months), decommissioning, or abandonment.
The dashboard and figures presented below only include O&M activities from 2015 onwards that require notification to the CER. Consult the O&M Requirements and Guidance Notes for a list of O&M event activities that call for notification to be filed with the CER.
Since 2015, there have been a total of 407 O&M activities reported by the Trans Mountain Pipeline. When the activity involves an integrity dig, the activity may entail exposing an area of the pipeline by performing one or more integrity assessments. There have been 388 individual integrity digs as part of the reported O&M activities.
These O&M activities can occur anywhere along or near the pipeline right-of-way, including near populated areas. In the past year (2023), O&M activities have occurred most often near Hope BC, Barriere BC, Kamloops BC among others.
There have been 16 O&M activities for which new temporary or permanent land is required and is located within critical habitat for any Endangered or Threatened species listed on Schedule 1 of the federal Species at Risk Act. When this happens, the company may be required to meet additional regulatory obligations outside of the CER Act, such as the Migratory Birds Convention Act and the Species at Risk Act.
Dashboard: Trans Mountain Pipeline - O&M Activites by Year
Description: The above bar chart displays the number of O&M activities from 2015 to current, arranged based on the starting year of the activity. Each bar is stacked based on several parameters, with the default view showing the province/territory where the O&M activity occurred. Navigation buttons to the right of the bar chart provide the option to view the number of O&M activities by province/territory, if the activity includes an integrity dig, if in-stream work is required, if there are fish present, and if there are species at risk present.
View the requirements and guidance notes (O&M Guidelines) for more information on how these events are regulated while promoting safety, security, environmental protection, economic efficiency, and respect for the rights of those that may be affected.
Contaminated sites and remediation
Section updated: November 2024
Contaminated Sites and Remediation
As part of the CER’s environmental protection activities, we require companies to manage and remediate contamination throughout the lifecycle of the facilities. As a first step, regulated companies are required to report contamination to the CER through the online submission of the Notification of Contamination (NOC).
After the NOC is submitted, companies must demonstrate they are actively managing the contamination according to the Remediation Process Guide. The progress and current status of remediation at the contaminated site are captured in the annual update submitted by a company each year for a contaminated site.
Third party contamination is on-site contamination that is shown to not be emanating or migrating from the company’s facilities or company-owned or leased lands or Right-of-Way. While third-party contamination is not the result of company activities, the CER still requires that this contamination is reported to the CER through the submission of the NOC.
The dashboard below contains information that is contained in the NOC's and annual updates found in REGDOCS. The CER publishes NOCs that have been submitted to the CER since August 2018, when the CER started collecting this information electronically and annual updates that have been submitted since 2021. For information on contaminated sites for which NOCs were submitted prior to August 2018, email remediation@cer-rec.gc.ca.
There are many different methods and approaches to remediate contamination. Thus, when a company submits a plan for remediation (i.e., remedial action plan) for CER review, they are required to include an options analysis to support the remedial method chosen, select appropriate remediation criteria and demonstrate engagement with potentially affected persons, among other requirements. CER analysts also review closure reports submitted by the company once the remediation is completed to ensure remediation has been completed appropriately.
The Trans Mountain Pipeline has reported a total of 105 contaminated sites since 2011 when the first Remediation Process Guide was first published. There have been 54 contaminated sites reported since August 2018, and information about these contaminated sites is featured in the dashboard below.
Dashboard: Trans Mountain Pipeline - Contaminated Sites (post Aug 15, 2018)
Description: The above map displays the approximate location of contaminated sites that have been reported since August 2018. The map defaults to show contaminated sites as bubbles which are coloured based on the year the Notice of Contamination was submitted. Contaminated sites on the map can be re-categorized based on the province/territory, if the site is within 30 metres of a water body, and the applicable land use at the site. The contaminated sites can also be toggled to display a stacked bar chart of events over time by clicking on the contaminated sites trends button above the map. The stacked bars display the number of contaminated sites reported by year. Like the map, contaminated sites can be re-categorized by clicking on the side buttons to view a breakdown of contaminated sites by site status, activity at time of discovery, pipeline or facility, and contaminant type.
Damage prevention is where people and pipelines meet; it is the proactive process that keeps people, the environment, and pipelines safe.
The CER takes action to protect Canadians and the environment. Some of these actions include having safety requirements for activities near the pipelines that we regulate. Unauthorized activities on or around pipelines are unsafe and illegal. If pipelines are contacted or damaged, the result could be very serious.
The CER Damage Prevention Regulations (DPRs) outline the obligations of the pipeline companies to have robust damage prevention and public awareness programs that provide people living and working near pipelines the information to ensure those activities near their pipelines are done safely with respect to the pipeline. The DPRs also outline the requirements for people living and working near pipelines to communicate with pipeline companies when they are planning any construction activity (digging, building, driving on the right-of-way) and to follow the instructions that the pipeline company gives them.
Damage prevention is a shared responsibility, and we all play a part in making sure that everyone stays safe when working near a pipeline.
Pipeline companies must immediately report to the CER any activity near their pipelines that does not follow the rules and specifications set out in the DPRs. These violations are called contravention reports. The CER provides an Open Government dataset containing information on each reported contravention. Some summary statistics and a dashboard displaying this data is available below.
From 2019 to 2024, there have been a total of 198 contraventions reported for the Trans Mountain Pipeline. Of these, 142 have included a ground disturbance, and 5 have caused physical damage to the pipeline such as dent or gouge. A ground disturbance contravention happens when someone digs below 30 cm within the pipelines prescribed area without first getting consent from the pipeline company or when a locate request hasn't been made. These events can be considered as near-miss events that could have led to a more serious pipeline incident.
The CER reviews all contravention reports submitted by regulated companies, and further action may be required of the company. From 2019 to 2024, 10 contraventions have required additional action.
Dashboard: Trans Mountain Pipeline - DPR Contravention Reports (2019-2024)
Description: The above map displays the location of DPR contravention reports that have been reported for the pipeline system over the past five plus years. The map defaults to show DPR contravention reports as bubbles which are coloured based on whether the pipe was damaged. DPR contravention reports on the map can be re-categorized based on whether there was a ground disturbance, the year, and who discovered the event. The DPR contravention reports data can also be toggled to display a stacked bar chart of events over time by clicking on the DPR Contravention Reports Trends button above the map. The stacked bars display the number of DPR contravention reports by year, with bar colour segments corresponding to the event type. Similar to the map, DPR contravention reports can be re-categorized by clicking on the side buttons to view a breakdown of events by whether pipe was damaged, who discovered the event, and method of discovery.
The CER checks to make sure companies are keeping pipelines safe by doing inspections, in-depth safety audits, and other activities. Yet, even with these precautions, an emergency could still happen. Sound emergency management practices improve public safety and environmental protection outcomes, and provide for more effective emergency response.
The CER holds its regulated companies responsible for anticipating, preventing, mitigating, and managing emergencies of any size or duration. Each company must have an emergency management program that includes detailed emergency procedures manuals to guide its response in an emergency. We oversee the emergency management program of a regulated company’s project for its entire operation.
The CER requires companies to publish information on their emergency management program and their emergency procedures manuals on their websites so Canadians can access them.
