Responding to Emergencies

At the Canada Energy Regulator, we hold companies to some of the strictest safety and environmental standards in the world.

Companies are required to monitor their pipelines 24/7.

They also walk or flyover the pipeline and use high-tech equipment to scan the pipeline from the inside.

We make sure companies are keeping pipelines safe by doing regular inspections, along with in-depth safety audits.

Yet even with all these precautions, an emergency could still happen.

In an emergency, we are ready to respond 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Usually, we can be on scene within hours of being notified.

We oversee the company’s response to make sure they are prioritizing public safety and doing everything they can to bring the incident under control.

During an emergency we work with the company and others to keep the surrounding communities and Canadians informed about what is happening and to listen to their concerns.

We provide ongoing safety updates in real-time using social media to keep people informed.

After the emergency is over, we investigate what happened. Another government department, the Transportation Safety Board may also investigate.

The investigation looks at what went wrong and finds ways to make sure the same thing never happens again.

If we find the company did not follow the rules and caused the emergency, we will take strong enforcement action which can range from fines to revoking the company’s operating license.

We make sure the polluter pays for any damage that has been caused by their pipeline. They must do everything they can to bring the land and water back to how it was before.

Strict environmental standards outline how a company must clean up the environment after a spill.

We will never allow a pipeline to start back up until the company can prove it can do so safely, protecting people and the environment.

We keep watch until the cleanup is done.

Want to learn more about how we respond to emergencies and how the CER works for you?

Visit us online or contact us directly.