Pristine forest, or industrial wasteland?

If tar sands development continues, we could devastate beautiful, ecologically important landscapes and waterways. At risk areas include the Boreal forest and the Great Bear Rainforest.

Canadian mega-corporation Enbridge plans to punch a 1,170-kilometre (727-miles) pipeline named Northern Gateway, from Alberta all the way to British Columbia’s stunning and fragile coast. Not only does the proposed pipeline cross 800 streams and rivers, it also leads to an even more dangerous result: the introduction of hundreds of supertankers to the rugged coastal waters of the Great Bear Rainforest.

What’s the likelihood of an Enbridge spill?

“I know there’ll be an accident, no ifs about it,” said Sammy Robinson, Haisla First Nation Elder and carver, who resides in Kitimat, BC where the tankers would depart.

Canada’s western coast is legendary for its treacherous waters, which is why there’s been an unofficial moratorium on oil tankers there for more than three decades. If Enbridge has its way, that will all change, putting the world-renown Great Bear Rainforest at risk for catastrophic oil spills.