Enbridge’s Northern Gateway has without a doubt raised some discussion with regards to environmental stewardship. The proposed pipeline would ship Alberta crude through British Columbia to the coast where it would then be shipped off to China. The main concern here revolves around the question of “what if” something happens; such as an oil spill, “who then becomes responsible for clean up?”

The decision to make the project a limited partnership means that in the event of a catastrophic oil spill Enbridge Inc. would only have to worry about a portion of the costs for clean up. The cost for clean up would be divided between investors and the firm. Given this circumstance, stakeholders do not believe that proper funding would be readily available with this particular structure. Stakeholders who oppose the pipeline say that the risks outweigh the benefits. The questions that now remain are: Is Enbridge Inc. justified in their decision to opt-out of sole responsibility in the event of an oil spill? And should a business’ priority on making profit outweigh things such as environmental and social concerns?

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