Pipelines in Canada operate with the utmost sensitivity to rural and urban environments. Because of this, transmission pipelines similar to Brunswick Pipeline can be found passing safely through many urban areas across the country. Oakville, Waterloo, North Bay, Mississauga, Toronto, Montreal, Saskatoon, Regina and Edmonton are all examples of cities with natural gas pipeline networks. A recent example of this network's continued growth is the Ontario Energy Board's approval for the construction of a 48-inch diameter high pressure natural gas transmission pipeline that will extend into the Town of Milton, a densely populated community on the outskirts of Toronto.

Here in New Brunswick, Brunswick Pipeline has proposed a route for a transmission pipeline to connect the Canaport™ LNGLP terminal in Saint John to the existing Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline at the international border west of St. Stephen. To view map, click here.

Our proposed route includes a 2.4 kilometer section in a remote part of Rockwood Park that would follow an existing power line corridor cleared over 40 years ago for power lines. To view map, click here.

In the Saint John area, we have carefully analysed the use of existing corridors which have the least impact on populated areas. To view map, click here.

Corridor Description - Tracing the Preferred Corridor

The proposed pipeline corridor starts in the southeastern outskirts of Mispec Point where the Canaport™ LNGLP terminal will operate. From there it follows existing industrial and utility corridors through the City of Saint John and pipeline or power line corridors in rural southern New Brunswick. Brunswick Pipeline will connect with the existing M&NP system near the Canada-US border west of St. Stephen.

We believe the proposed corridor as outlined and following existing power lines throughout the City and Rockwood Park is the best route because…

• it is the safest option
• it follows existing power lines
• it provides the smallest footprint
• it is the shortest land-based route
• it avoids more populated areas
• it is consistent with North American regulatory standards
• it can be restored as a walking trail in Rockwood Park

Mispec Point to Route 1
Starting at Mispec Point, the proposed pipeline corridor goes north, paralleling an existing power transmission line to Red Head and Black River Roads to the Grandview Avenue Industrial Park and on to the Irving Oil Refinery. It continues on refinery property adjacent to Champlain Heights, which is buffered by a wide sand pit area and trees. The pipeline would cross under Loch Lomond Road where it would continue underground through undeveloped land between Westmorland Heights and Silver Falls. Once past Rothesay Avenue, the proposed corridor parallels another existing power transmission line corridor to the four-lane highway, Route 1.

From Route 1, the proposed pipeline corridor follows a rugged and remote section of Rockwood Park.

There are many pipelines buried under parks, golf courses, and recreation areas throughout North America. In Saint John, the M&NP lateral pipeline was safely built under Harbour Passage several years ago.

A natural gas pipeline already runs under Harbour Passage.

North and South of Park Options
There are two corridor routing options in the area of Rockwood Park which avoid crossing park property; north of Rockwood Park and south of Rockwood Park. Both of these options have the same beginning and ending points in the east and west side of Rockwood Park respectively.

These routes continue to be reviewed for their viability by our construction, environment and lands personnel and are included for consideration in the Brunswick Pipeline application to the National Energy Board.

1. North of the Park Option
   Once across the highway there are two sub-options to get to the north end of the park at Sandy Point road. One sub-option is to parallel Foster-Thurston Road. The other sub-option is for the corridor to head further east and around Ashburn Lake and then turn west to the northern-most point of the park. Once past the northern-most point of the Park, this corridor proceeds southwesterly, passing west of the Saint John Regional Hospital/University of New Brunswick Saint John (UNBSJ) complex, or alternatively east of the complex. Both of these sub-options then proceed south to a common corridor point adjacent to the Howe's Lake landfill area.
2. South of the Park Option
   This alternative parallels March Creek between Rothesay Avenue and Route 1. Once across Route 1, the corridor proceeds north and northwesterly, paralleling the Rockwood park boundary until it reaches a common corridor point on the west side of the park, adjacent to the Howe's Lake.

Millidgeville to West Saint John
The preferred corridor proceeds west along an existing power transmission line through undeveloped lands south of Millidgeville, and turns south to Pokiok Road. Advanced horizontal drilling technology is then used to cross the St. John River from Pokiok to Pleasant Point near Milford. The corridor then proceeds southwest to join the existing Saint John lateral pipeline near Route 1 and Highway 7 interchange.

The Rural Corridor West
In the rural areas of West Saint John to St. Stephen, the proposed pipeline corridor follows the existing Saint John Lateral right-of-way and the proposed NB Power International Power Line.

Why These Routes?
In carefully studying the safest and lowest impact route, we followed a three-step process:

1. Identification of the Project Study Area - This involved identifying preliminary corridor alternatives based on the required origin and end points of the pipeline and the key constraints (engineering, environmental and socio-economic constraints)
2. Selection of the Preliminary Preferred Corridor - This involved evaluating the preliminary corridor alternatives based on general selection criteria that included:
   • Overall length
   • Project costs (engineering design, construction, and operation)
   • Environmental and socio-economic constraints
   • Risk
3. Selecting a preliminary preferred corridor based on a more detailed review of environmental and engineering characteristics of the alternative corridors.

As part of our extensive analysis of alternate routes, we reviewed a marine crossing of Saint John Harbour. We dismissed this alternative because the combined safety, technical, environmental, cost and schedule risks were unacceptable.

Selection of Preferred Corridor
This step was based on the evaluation of corridor alternatives, public stakeholder consultation and supplementary field reconnaissance investigations.

The proposal takes an available route and will result in an underground pipeline that will be as inconspicuous as are other pipelines already crossing under cities and parks in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.