Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Case Study

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The Mackenzie Valley Pipeline is a project that was made to be able to transport natural gas from the Beaufort Sea to the Northwest Territories in Canada. The project was also formed to connect the Mackenzie Valley natural gas to the gas pipelines in northern Alberta. It seems like a great idea, but there have been many complaints and numerous protests that are concerning the proposed pipeline project. Using Sarah Muller’s knowledge on the subject at hand, the report written by Justice Berger - the judge who oversaw the Pipeline inquiry - and information found on websites, an overview of the protest reasons were formed. One of the big concerns people have towards the project is that it is going to have a big impact on the society of the Mackenzie …show more content…
For one, there has been enough evidence to suggest that there is little to no long-term employment opportunities for the locals. The Berger report concluded that more often than not, large projects based on non-renewable energy sources rarely provide long-term employment. The pipeline project had originally stated that the project would bring economic wealth to the people of the northern territories. Even though this is true, it is not the whole truth. The project will provide many jobs for the aboriginal people in the north, but the jobs are only for the duration of the construction of the pipeline. After the construction, the pipeline will only need about 250 workers to run it - most of which have to be professionals from the southern provinces. In addition, most of the jobs being given to the aboriginals are the ones with little to no skill requirements and minimum wage jobs. This is because the locals are not experienced with construction building, and can only be hired for the lower positions. The locals of the north mostly live off the land, and are not accustomed to the kind of work that is required to build the pipeline. given as most of the hunting and fishing grounds will be gone due to the construction of the project, the locals are worried that the project would only cause more hardship in their …show more content…
First off, the project would need a transportation route, and that would require an infrastructure of roads, airports, maintenance bases, and new settlements to support it. The route that had been planned crossed more than 500 waterways and runs through many forest areas. The project report had many solutions to the problems that would be caused by the construction, but it had more gaps than solutions in the research. The transportation vias required would damage the wildlife in forests and water, and damage the habitats of many species, including caribou, and grizzly bears. Many sanctuaries would have to be built if the project gets approval to continue. There are currently many endangered and threatened species inhabiting the area that is planned for construction. Also, altering the land surface during the pipeline construction could lead to permafrost melt, and lead to areas that are more prone to freezing. This on its own increases the potential for floods. Altering the land would also result in the loss of vegetation and eliminating some species. Also, the construction could disturb both protected and unprotected animal habitats. This is because the noise if construction will scare off and discourage the migration patterns of many species. As well, the pipeline itself will be a physical barrier for many species of wildlife that live on the ground. In addition, many animals that are curious about the noise
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