From a slow beginning in 1914, the Port of Prince Rupert has since evolved to become Canada's 3rd busiest seaport and a critical component in the effort to diversify our exports. Strategically located on the Pacific Great Circle Route between Asia and the West Coast of North America, it's the closest port to Asia as well as being the deepest ice free harbour in North America. Connected to the rest of the country by the CN rail network, it offers the most convenient solution to the seemingly intractable problem of getting Albertan oil to market.
In addition to being a container port, and handling various bulk commodities like coal and grain, it is also a liquified petroleum gas (LPG) facility. Exporting propane and butane from the Ridley Island energy export facility, which is expanding to handle up to 171 ships per year, it is also well positioned to add natural gas or crude oil from the tar sands. Even without a pipeline oil could be delivered by rail without any additional approvals. The only real issue is the north coast tanker ban.
In Vancouver, oil tankers are already safely navigating a technically more difficult passage through Juan de Fuca Strait thanks to a tugboat escort for every ship, and the same thing could easily be arranged for Prince Rupert out past Haida Gwaii which is roughly the same distance.
But while rail is an option it can only be a temporary one. Pipelines are much safer and an infinitely more efficient method of transporting any petroleum product. To handle the 890,000 barrels of crude oil a day now going through the Trans Mountain pipeline would require an equivalent 1,300 railcars per day. However, with all the problems of trying to find a pipeline route to Prince Rupert it might be easier to just add another one next to the recently completed Trans Mountain pipeline in Vancouver.
But while the debate rages over the best location for an oil pipeline, the Port of Prince Rupert lost out on what could have been Nutrien's latest potash facility. Vancouver had run out of room for another bulk facility but Prince Rupert could easily have accomodated it yet inexplicably they decided to locate in Washington instead. Nutrien is a Saskatechewan company that is the world's largest producer of potash and it goes to show that if we can't convince ourselves to take advantage of what we have to offer we are never going to win the bigger fight. It's time to get behind oil shipments to Prince Rupert and, while we wait for a pipeline to be built, ship it there by rail.
