Canada

Manitoba has fallen behind neighbouring provinces in taking steps to safeguard against environmental risks relating to the oil and gas industry, despite numerous calls at both the national and provincial levels for better oversight practices.

Those provinces previously relied heavily on the industry regulating itself, a practice that is still followed in Manitoba, and one that raises alarm bells among experts.

“Effective regulatory oversight … is important to reducing the risk of company non-compliance, and to protecting the safety of Canadians and the environment,” Canada’s auditor general wrote in a 2015 review of federal pipeline management.

In the wake of a major Imperial Oil fuel pipeline shutdown for preventative repairs in March — coupled with dwindling staffing numbers and inspections — Manitoba’s government said it’s aware of gaps in how it monitors provincially regulated oil and gas pipelines.