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: Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) and British Columbia Oil and Gas Commission (BCOGC) (Provincially Regulated Pipelines); CER, from various reports (Oil and Gas Resources); 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
The Westcoast / Enbridge B.C. pipeline extends south from Fort Nelson and west from points northwest Alberta and northeast British Columbia to the Canada-U.S. border near Huntingdon, British Columbia.
History and Overview
The Westcoast system (Westcoast), also known as Enbridge’s B.C. pipeline, started operating in 1957 and has had numerous expansions.
It was originally constructed to transport natural gas from the Peace River area in Alberta and B.C. to meet demands for natural gas in B.C. and to export natural gas to markets in the U.S.
Facility applications, regulatory decisions/recommendations, and compliance reporting for many of these expansions and other projects can be found in our REGDOCS database [Folder 90718].
In addition, the CER Library has original maps, studies, and hearing materials related to this system, including an online catalog.
Supply and Markets
The Montney Formation of Alberta and British Columbia has been the target of oil and gas exploration since the 1950s.
Advances in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies in the mid-2000s made it possible to develop areas in the Montney Formation that were previously not economical.
Hydraulic fracturing occurs when fluids are pumped down a well and into a formation at very high pressures. This process creates fractures in the rock that allows oil and gas in the formation to flow into the well.
Canadian producers are seeking overseas markets for their natural gas production. Overseas trade of natural gas is usually in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG), which is shipped in specialized tankers.
The Westcoast pipeline system will be connected to the Woodfibre LNG facility through Fortis B.C.
The Coastal GasLink pipeline will transport natural gas from the NGTL system to the LNG Canada and Cedar LNG facilities. Westcoast may help to supply Coastal GasLink via its interconnections with the NGTL system.
At the Huntingdon meter station, the Westcoast pipeline system interconnects with other pipeline facilities serving markets in Canada and the U.S.
Markets in Canada: From Huntingdon, natural gas can be transported to Vancouver and the B.C. Lower Mainland via an interconnection with the FortisBC local distribution network.
Markets in the U.S.: At Huntingdon, natural gas can be exported to the U.S. via an interconnection with the Williams Northwest pipeline. Most of these exports serve the U.S. Pacific Northwest.
The Westcoast system connects with the NGTL System at NOVA/Gordondale and Sunset Creek key points.
Most of the natural gas received on the Westcoast pipeline system is carried south through B.C., but smaller volumes move east into Alberta via interconnections with the NGTL pipeline system at the NOVA/Gordondale and Sunset Creek delivery points.
The Westcoast system connects with the FortisBC Interior Transmission system. This key point is bi-directional. Currently, most natural gas moves west. FortisBC’s Southern Crossing pipeline moves natural gas across southern B.C. from the NGTL West Gate delivery point to the T-South component of the Westcoast pipeline system through interconnected pipelines.
Recent Projects
The CER typically regulates transmission pipelines, but integrated gathering and processing facilities subject to common management are sometimes included in pipeline systems regulated by the CER.
Some gathering and processing facilities have been sold in recent years and are no longer part of the Westcoast pipeline system. These are now under provincial jurisdiction in British Columbia.
More information is available about these sales in the application folders in our REGDOCS database.
The application to sell Westcoast Grizzly Valley assets to Sukunka Natural Resources Inc. can be found here [Folder 3563097].
The application to sell Westcoast gathering system and processing facilities to NorthRiver Midstream Operations LP can be found here [Folder 3742443].
The Wyndwood pipeline expansion project added approximately 27 km of new pipeline to loop existing pipeline (Fort St. John Mainline) near Chetwynd and Hasler Flats in northeastern British Columbia.
This project enabled more natural gas to be received onto the Westcoast system from the Montney basin in northeast B.C. for ultimate delivery to markets in B.C., Alberta, and the U.S.
Project information is available in our REGDOCS database [Folder 3070734].
This project’s environmental and socio-economic assessment information is available through an online search tool called BERDI (Biophysical Socio-Economic Regional Data and Information).
The Spruce Ridge program added approximately 38 km of new pipeline to loop existing pipeline and associated facilities near the communities of Chetwynd and Wonowon.
This project enabled more natural gas to be received onto the Westcoast system from the Montney basin in northeast B.C. for ultimate delivery to markets in B.C., Alberta, and the U.S.
Project information is available in our REGDOCS database [Folder 3350582].
This project’s environmental and socio-economic assessment information is available through an online search tool called BERDI (Biophysical Socio-Economic Regional Data and Information).
This project enabled the transportation of additional Canadian gas supply to meet market demand in B.C. and the U.S., and improved Westcoast system reliability and maintainability.
Project documents are available in our REGDOCS database [Folder 3596844]
The Pointed Mountain pipeline abandonment project will abandon 55.6 km of pipeline constructed in 1972.
The Pointed Mountain pipeline was part of the Fort Nelson gathering system. It extended from southwest NWT, through southeast Yukon, to northeast B.C.
Project documents are available in our REGDOCS database [Folder 4198907]
The CER is a lifecycle regulator, including a mandate to oversee the abandonment of pipelines and post-abandonment. For more information about pipeline abandonment, see this page.
Reconciliation Content
We recognize that all lands are the traditional and/or treaty territories of Indigenous Peoples, however, in this data set, only treaty lands are represented due to data availability.
For more information about how the traditional territories of Indigenous Peoples in a region are defined, it is best to consult First Nation and Metis governments directly.
The Westcoast pipeline extends from a point in northern British Columbia near Fort Nelson south to Sumas. Two segments of the Westcoast pipeline also cross the British Columbia and Alberta border near Dawson Creek and Boundary Lake.
Capacity on the Westcoast pipeline is measured at specific key points. At Huntingdon/Fortis BC Lower Mainland, the capacity is approximately 1.7 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d).
Major interconnected pipelines
Williams Northwest pipeline, NGTL system, FortisBC local distribution, Southern Crossing pipeline
The $24 million Silverstar Project[Folder 3908375]was approved[Folder 4012532]by the CER in November 2020. The project proposed new metering facility at Sunset Creek Compressor Station to facilitate a new delivery point off the T-North system at this location.
In 2018, Westcoast applied to the CER for the T-South Expansion and Reliability Project[Folder 3596844]which was approved[Folder 3827912]in September 2019. This $329 million project would upgrade three Compressor Stations (CS-4A, CS-5, CS-3) and expand T-South pipeline system. This expansion will provide 190 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of incremental firm transportation service on the T-South system from Compressor Station 2 with delivery to Huntingdon Meter station. For more information, see theT-South 2018 Compressor Station ApplicationsCER information page.
The $564.5 million Spruce Ridge Program[Folder 3350582]was approved[Folder 3723841]by the CER in December 2018. The Spruce Ridge Program would build and operate two natural gas pipeline loops, totaling 38 km, and the associated facilities. For more information, see theSpruce Ridge ProgramCER information page.
In October 2016 Westcoast applied for Wyndwood Pipeline Expansion Project[Folder 3070734]to build and operate 27 km of natural gas pipeline and associated facilities southwest of Chetwynd, BC. This project is a loop of Westcoast’s existing Fort St. John Mainline and will cost $170.3 million. The project was approved by the CER in August 2017. For more information, see theWyndwood Pipeline Expansion ProjectCER information page.
The $216.3 million Jackfish Lake Expansion Project[Folder 2855929]was approved[Folder 3299132]by the NEB in June 2017. The project is in the Peace River District between Taylor, British Columbia (BC) and Chetwynd, BC. The project will enable Westcoast to provide new firm transportation service from receipt points along the Fort St. John and Alberta Mainlines in T-North. The project includes construction of a pipeline loop on the Fort St. John Mainline, in two segments, totaling 36 km, and installation of an additional compressor unit at the existing compressor station (CS) 1 (Taylor).
The $360 million High Pine Expansion Project[Folder 2839163]was approved[Folder 3025082]by the NEB in June 2017. The project is located in the Peace River Regional District between Wonowon, BC and Chetwynd, BC. The project will enable Westcoast to provide incremental firm transportation service from receipt points along the Fort Nelson Mainline between CS N4 and CS N5; and from receipt points on the Aitken Creek Pipeline in T-North. High Pine Expansion Project consists of pipeline looping along the Fort Nelson Mainline, in two segments, totaling 39.2 km, and installation of an additional compressor unit at the existing CS 16 (Sunset).
Throughputs at the Huntingdon/FortisBC Lower Mainland key point have increased by 1.8% year over year, from an average of 1.26 Bcf/d in Q3 2023 to an average of 1.29 Bcf/d in Q3 2024 (most recent quarter of data).
Throughputs in Q3 2024 are 15% above the five-year average.
Key Point Description
Export connection with the U.S. pipeline grid at Huntingdon, B.C. Exports to the U.S. are typically bound for use in crude oil refineries on the West Coast of Washington State. Intracanada throughput connects with the FortisBC local distribution network for use in Vancouver and the BC lower mainland.
Annual Average Throughput: Huntingdon/FortisBC Lower Mainland (Bcf/d)
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Export
0.67
0.68
0.77
0.77
0.79
0.79
0.78
0.83
0.91
1.1
1.1
1.0
0.94
0.83
0.85
1.0
1.1
1.2
1.2
Intra-Canada
0.40
0.42
0.41
0.39
0.36
0.37
0.37
0.35
0.33
0.31
0.32
0.36
0.35
0.37
0.36
0.38
0.38
0.35
0.34
Total
1.1
1.1
1.2
1.2
1.1
1.2
1.1
1.2
1.2
1.4
1.4
1.4
1.3
1.2
1.2
1.4
1.4
1.5
1.5
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 = 35.3147 Cubic feet (cf) natural gas is used in this dashboard
Markets
Section updated: October 2024
Markets
The Westcoast pipeline is one of the major pipelines that transports natural gas from the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin to markets in Canada and the U.S. Canada's other major natural gas transmission pipelines are TC Canadian Mainline, the NGTL system and the Foothills pipelines. In British Columbia, the Westcoast pipeline delivers supply to provincially regulated local distribution networks, including FortisBC and Pacific Northern Gas.
Westcoast also delivers natural gas through interconnecting pipelines to Alberta and the U.S. Pacific Northwest. At the NOVA/Gordondale and Sunset Creek delivery points, Westcoast connects with the NGTL pipeline system and delivers gas to Alberta. At the Canada-U.S. border near Sumas, British Columbia, natural gas is exported to the U.S. via an interconnect with the Williams Northwest Pipeline that supplies natural gas to the U.S. Pacific Northwest.
A list of shippers on Westcoast pipeline is available on the Westcoast website (Capacity; Pipeline Contracted Firm Service).The report provide data on how this pipeline is used and who uses it.
A toll is the price charged by a pipeline company for transportation and other services. Tolls allow pipeline companies to safely operate and maintain pipelines. Tolls also provide funds for companies to recover capital (the money used to build the pipeline), pay debts, and provide a return to investors. The interactive graph below shows the tolls on the pipeline since 2010.
Westcoast determines its tolls using the methodology set out in a toll settlement, negotiated between Westcoast and other interested parties. Westcoast’s current toll settlement covers the period 1 January 2022 through 31 December 2026 [Folder 4286881]. Under this settlement, Westcoast’s tolls are based on cost of service, are zone-based, and can differ based on both service term (i.e., contract length) and distance.
For tolling purposes, Westcoast is divided into two zones:
T-North, or Transportation North, consists of sales gas transmission pipelines north of compressor station 2, near Chetwynd, British Columbia. Prior to 2022, T-North was referred to as Zone 3 [Folder 4247551]. T-North uses a ‘postage stamp’ tolling model in which the toll is the same for all paths on the system regardless of the distance travelled. There are two postage stamp tolls: Short Haul Toll, for deliveries to small distribution utilities connected to T-North that serve northern communities and for gas movements of 75 km or less other than to the Alliance or NGTL systems, and a Long Haul Toll for all other gas movements in T-North.
T-South, or Transportation South, consists of the sales gas transmission pipelines south of compressor station 2. Prior to 2022, T-South was referred to as Zone 4. Tolls in T-South are based on ultimate delivery points, rather than the ‘postage stamp’ model used in T-North.
Official CER documents related to the traffic, tolls and tariffs for Westcoast can be found here: Westcoast toll documents [Folder 92844].
Description: The above chart displays tolls data for the pipeline system. Only firm service tolls are shown for illustrative purposes. To see tolls for other service types, 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, Westcoast estimated it would cost $363.6 million to do this. In 2024, this number was revised to $854 million. These funds are being collected and set aside in a trust. Collection period end date is December 31, 2053.
Table 1: Westcoast or BC Pipeline’s abandonment trust fund balance
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Trust fund balance ($)
39,302,000
42,383,000
47,162,000
42,349,000
46,397,000
Official CER documents related to abandonment funding can be found here, sorted by year and by company: abandonment funding documents [Folder 3300366].
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 Westcoast’s Quarterly Surveillance Reports [Folder 235199]. Income statement information and equity ratios are for the Transmission division of Westcoast Energy Inc., as reported to the CER.
Table 2: Westcoast Pipeline financial data (Zones 3 and 4)
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Revenue (million $)
393.8
381.4
415.7
504.3
628.7
598.5
636.6
801.9
805.9
Return on common equity (million $)
50.6
63.2
84.9
115.3
125.6
144.1
164.5
162
165.3
Average rate base (million $)
1,346.9
1,358.5
1,602.6
2,560.2
2,916.1
2,954.2
3,485.9
4,290
4,443.8
Return on rate base (%)
7.35
7.5
7
6.8
6.4
6.4
6.3
6.1
6.2
Deemed equity ratio (%)
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
ROE (%)
9.01
9.8
9.7
10.1
9.5
10.1
10.1
9.3
9.4
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
Westcoast Energy Inc., carrying on business as Spectra Energy Transmission, owns the Westcoast Transmission System. Westcoast Energy Inc. became a wholly owned subsidiary of Enbridge, following Enbridge’s merger with Spectra Energy in February 2017.
Credit ratings provide an idea of the financial strength of a company, including its ability to attract capital to build new infrastructure and meet financial obligations. The credit ratings below are expert opinions of how likely the debt issuer is to live up to its obligations.
Table 3: Westcoast Energy Inc. credit ratings
Rating Agency
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
DBRS credit rating
A (low)
A (low)
A (low)
A (low)
A (low)
A (low)
A (low)
A (low)
S&P credit rating
BBB
BBB
BBB+
BBB+
BBB+
BBB+
BBB+
BBB+
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. Westcoast’s last audit was completed in August 2018.
Official CER documents related to Westcoast’s financial regulatory audits can be found here: [Folder 571548].
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: Enbridge BC Pipeline - In Progress Conditions by Region
Some conditions are not tied to a geographic location.
No geographic location summary for Enbridge BC Pipeline:
In Progress conditions: 13
Closed conditions: 4
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 Enbridge BC Pipeline has reported a total of 304 incidents since 2008. Of those incidents, 151 have resulted in some volume of product being released, with natural gas - 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 external interference and the most common why it happened is maintenance . 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 Enbridge BC Pipeline's reported incidents, 11 have resulted in adverse environmental effects. There have been 18 serious injuries, and 2 fatalities 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: Enbridge BC 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 457 O&M activities reported by the Enbridge BC 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 375 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, Mackenzie BC, Prince George BC among others.
There have been 28 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: Enbridge BC 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 Enbridge BC Pipeline has reported a total of 119 contaminated sites since 2011 when the first Remediation Process Guide was first published. There have been 23 contaminated sites reported since August 2018, and information about these contaminated sites is featured in the dashboard below.
Dashboard: Enbridge BC 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 220 contraventions reported for the Enbridge BC Pipeline. Of these, 65 have included a ground disturbance, and 3 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, 13 contraventions have required additional action.
Dashboard: Enbridge BC 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.
