Trans Mountain Pipeline has restarted, but B.C. gas rationing will remain in place for now, province says
The Trans Mountain Pipeline restarted Sunday, but the B.C. government says it's not yet ready to lift a fuel-rationing order for the southwestern part of the province.
Trans Mountain announced Saturday that it planned to resume operation of the pipeline after a nearly three-week precautionary shutdown prompted by the extreme weather that struck the province last month.
On Sunday, the company said the pipeline had "safely restarted," adding that crews would continue monitoring it from the ground, the air and the pipeline's control centre.
In a statement to CTV News Vancouver, Emergency Management B.C. said it was "encouraged" by the resumption of operations at the pipeline, which transports roughly 300,000 barrels of oil from Alberta to Burnaby each day under normal circumstances.
The closure of the pipeline - along with the damage to several major highways between the Lower Mainland and the B.C. Interior - was a primary reason that the provincial government introduced its fuel-rationing order.
The order applies to the southwestern portion of the province, including the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, the Sunshine Coast and the Sea to Sky corridor, and limits drivers to 30 litres of gasoline per fill-up.
On Sunday, Emergency Management B.C. said the 30-litre limit would remain in place for the time being, despite the pipeline's restart.
"This will not be an immediate switch and will take time to resume normal operations," the agency said in its statement.
The fuel-rationing order was originally scheduled to end on Dec. 1, but it was extended two weeks, along with B.C.'s flood-related state of emergency, in late November.
It's unclear whether the 30-litre limit will remain in place through Dec. 14 as scheduled, but EMBC says it's staying for now.
"The fuel order will remain in effect to prioritize essential vehicles and will be reevaluated as the Province continues to recover from the recent weather events," the agency said.
"We all must continue to do our part and limit our fuel consumption and take transit when possible. British Columbians have stepped up in big ways and we are confident this can continue for the next little while."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.