Inside Irving Oil’s repeated push to change federal pollution rules
The first time Irving Oil asked the federal government to change pollution rules to favour its Atlantic Canada refinery, the response was a swift rejection.
Company president Ian Whitcomb remained undeterred, according to internal government documents obtained by The Narwhal.
Two weeks after Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault wrote Whitcomb a letter in January 2023, saying there were “no plans” to hand the oil and gas company the concession it was seeking from the Clean Fuel Regulations, the executive met with a top public servant at Natural Resources Canada to plead his case again.
Federal officials anticipated Irving would press them to change the same pollution rules during at least two more meetings with high-ranking government representatives in 2023, according to lobbying records.
Add comment