Nov 13, 2024
Managing our footprint
At TC Energy, we’re committed to protecting the environment. Not just because we have to, but because we want to. We respect the diversity of the landscapes where we operate and work to minimize our environmental footprint while meeting the world’s growing demand for safe and reliable energy.
Restored 490+ hectares of boreal woodland caribou habit and planted 1 million+ trees in Canada since 2014
9,000 people have greater access to drinking water through our rainwater harvesting program in Mexico
Donated $1.05 million to 71 non-profit environmental organizations in 2020
Doing the right thing
We recognize that how we interact with the environment is of vital importance to you. It is to us, too.
That's why our Environment principles of stewardship, protection and performance reflect our culture and guide our decisions every day when building and operating energy infrastructure.
We're committed to protecting the environment throughout the complete life cycle of our assets, from business development to project planning and design, through construction and operations to remediation and final decommissioning.
To learn more about TC Energy and the environment, read our latest Report on Sustainability.
Climate change
As an energy infrastructure company, we recognize our role in the larger energy system, including our own emission of greenhouse gases. We are leaders in the development of a balanced and sustainable energy future and we’re doing our part to manage our GHG emissions through the programs and initiatives that meet, and often exceed, regulatory requirements.
Water
We know that water is a fundamental component of the ecosystems where we operate. The protection of water resources is of the utmost importance to both the environment and our business. Water is responsibly managed throughout the life cycle of our assets through our comprehensive Environment Program.
Land & wildlife
We believe that when we build an asset, we temporarily borrow the land. Over the course of our more than 65-year history, we have successfully reclaimed thousands of acres of land in many different ecological regions throughout North America. We undertake field studies and consult with stakeholders and Indigenous groups to develop specific environmental protection plans on all our projects in order to conserve and protect natural resources throughout construction and operation of our facilities.
Environmental stewardship through collaboration
Collaboration and relationship building are at the heart of our Environment principles. We develop partnerships with employees, industry partners, Indigenous groups and regulatory agencies and work together to help find solutions to important environmental issues.
Collaborating with employees
Our employees are dedicated stewards of the environment. TC Energy's environmental governance process applies to all employees and is integrated throughout all lines of business in all jurisdictions.
Collaborating with industry partners
We recognize there is strength in numbers and different ways of tackling a problem. We actively seek outside perspectives and participate in a number of industry and multi-stakeholder initiatives to help resolve environmental challenges and advance best practices for our industry.
Collaborating with communities
We work closely with the communities where we live and work to ensure the environmental initiatives we're supporting – whether financially or through volunteer efforts – are the ones that matter the most to them. This means working with national and local organizations to conserve important habitat, protect at-risk species and promote environmental education.
Collaborating with Indigenous groups
We recognize and respect the rights of Indigenous groups and their distinct relationship with the land. We believe it is important to integrate traditional knowledge into our environmental planning, and work with Indigenous groups to understand how our activities may affect them and find mutually beneficial solutions.
Case study:
Protecting the environment
TC Energy project planning and development includes environmental considerations. As part of the West Path Program’s Environmental Protection Plans, data was collected on environmental elements such as soils and terrain, wildlife and wildlife habitat, vegetation and wetlands, fish and fish habitat, water and water quality, heritage resources, air emissions and acoustic environment. This data helped identify environmental protection measures to be implemented with the goal of ensuring environmentally responsible construction and returning disturbed areas to equivalent land capability.
Watch how the West Path Program’s Foothills 2023 Elko project considered the environment during construction, as well as learn about the program’s ongoing efforts to support Whitebark Pine recovery and conservation, a species listed as endangered under the Species at Risk Act.
Case study:
Environmental protection through enhancement of biodiversity
We understand the vital need to conserve, protect and restore habitat for wild animals and plants – both in the water and on land. From rivers to ranchlands and trout to caribou, we are actively partnering with organizations, such as the below partners, to conserve important habitat across the continent.
Canada
TC Energy has been supporting Trout Unlimited Canada for more than 20 years in their important work to conserve, protect and restore freshwater ecosystems. Most recently, we have been supporting the Reconnecting Canada program, which aims to reconnect one million miles of disconnected waterways across the country. Through projects involving culvert replacements, culvert modifications or stream modifications, the “Million Mile Effort” will link fish to their habitat, repair river beds, improve water quality and connect Canadians to their water.
United States
We partnered with the Deschutes National Forest in Oregon to restore Paulina Creek, a unique water system in the high desert plateau area, encouraging the reestablishment of native plants, enhancing the nearby pollinator habitat and restoring the natural flow of the creek.
Mexico
We partnered with the State of Chihuahua’s government on a Cdn$4.1 million project to help make clean drinking water a reality for 2,450 Indigenous families in Mexico living near our Topolobampo natural gas pipeline. In total, 1,830 harvesting water systems and 35 systems for water collection will be built for the Raramuri people in Chihuahua, providing positive life-changing infrastructure for these communities.
FAQs
What frameworks and management systems are in place to ensure the protection of the environment throughout the complete life cycle of our assets?
TC Energy’s Operational Management System (TOMS) provides a framework for how our assets are designed, constructed, operated and decommissioned to ensure the safety, security and protection of our people, property, physical assets and the environment. This approach assures that the principles and requirements that drive consistent, effective and efficient business results are followed and that company policy and regulatory requirements are met.
TOMS is modeled after international standards, including the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard for environmental management systems, ISO 14001 and the Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS 18001) for occupational health and safety. It conforms to external industry consensus standards and voluntary programs, and complies with applicable legislative requirements. It covers 100 per cent of our projects and operations, and follows a continuous improvement cycle organized into four key areas:
- planning – risk and regulatory assessment, objective and target setting, defining roles and responsibilities
- implementing – development and implementation of programs, procedures and standards to manage operational risk
- reporting – incident reporting and investigation, and performance monitoring
- action – assurance activities and review of performance by management.
As part of TOMS and this continuous improvement cycle, TC Energy’s requirement to provide environmental training includes regulations; industry standards; and TC Energy policies, programs, and procedures are outlined in the environmental training and awareness program. This program is in place to support and promote our Environment Principles of stewardship, protection, and performance among all personnel and assets and helps to ensure environment training and development occurs systematically, consistently and continuously.