BC residents, and the rest of Canadians besides Alberta, also lose if pipelines don't get built. I get the concerns for not wanting it. But what also has to be considered is that these pipelines contribute significantly to our overall economy since oil is among our most valuable trading resources. The oil sands helped get the country through the great recession on decent footing and still helps drive the economy. If we can't get our oil to world markets we're screwed. If our economy is slowed by slower & more expensive non-pipeline oil transport, it decreased the value of the loonie. We've seen the loonie dip in price dramatically since the worldwide price of oil dropped a few years ago. The loonie was at par to the US dollar as late as 2012 and it's taken a beating since down to 77-78 cents largely due to our oil revenues falling.
If we reduce/slow access for oil to the global trade markets, it devalues the loonie, which hurts every canadian since it obviously costs us more to buy goods from the US and worldwide. It makes our gas prices higher based on a weaker loonie vs global oil prices & also decreases oil supply so again prices rise. It also makes our economy/market/stockss less attractive to foreign investors who will be less likely to invest here. For anyone with a pension plan or RRSP or own stocks/mutual funds etc. & you're invested at all in the Canadian markets then this hurts you too, and if you have any US stocks etc it costs more to buy them & you get less back when you sell them.
Not to mention slowing the Alberta economy which means less jobs. If the pipelines need to go through aboriginal territory, well then compensate them with money, they certainly need it! BC should be financially compensated if their land is used. Environmentally, these energy companies are very motivated to do everything they can to avoid spills, since they don't want to lose spilled oil, they don't want to pay to clean it up, they don't want the very bad PR which will make it harder to build new pipelines in the future as well as driving down their stock price. Climate change wise, you aren't going to save the world by not building the pipeline. People still need to drive vehicles & use gas, it just might be a bit more expensive.
Read more here:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/gas-prices-analysis-1.4626692No matter where they originate, oil products are priced in U.S. dollars. And the Canadian dollar has been the worst performing major currency against the U.S. this year — which may actually mean more money for Canadian oil companies when they convert those U.S. dollars back into loonies, but it's definitely not good news for gas buyers at the pumps.
The pipeline problems outlined above would send the Canadian benchmark oil price known as Western Canada Select even lower, which would drag the loonie down with it. "And if the loonie does a swan-dive, that's going to boost pump prices as well," McKnight says.
McTeague says a wobble of even a few dollars in the price of WCS could push the loonie down several cents, something Canadians across the country would feel each and every time they fill up.