Emergency Preparedness

The most critical and responsible emergency preparedness strategy is to prevent a spill from occurring at all. However, in the case of a spill, Trans Mountain is prepared to respond quickly with detailed emergency procedures and trained professionals.

Emergency response plans are constantly being updated to keep them current. The plans are location specific, identify locations of emergency response materials and equipment, and are regularly practiced through field deployment exercises.

Trans Mountain is prepared not only for oil releases, but a variety of other emergencies as well, such as fire, security breaches and natural disasters including earthquakes, floods, lightening strikes and avalanches. Teams prepare for these worst-case scenarios using the Trans Mountain Emergency Response Plan and the Incident Command System.

As part of an ongoing commitment to safety and environmental protection, Trans Mountain takes responsibility for the cleanup and remediation of spills by responding immediately to any release from the pipeline system. Trans Mountain works with pre-qualified and trained consultants and contractors to ensure any spill is cleaned up as quickly as possible while ensuring the safety of the public and minimizing impacts to the environment.

During any cleanup, biologists and environmental consultants are on site to help with their areas of expertise. These partners work in tandem with the Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC) and Western Canadian Spill Services (WCSS), both of which are organizations built specifically to respond to marine spills.