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Canada increases loan warranties for Trans Mountain pipeline to C$ 19 bln

The Canadian federal government has guaranteed another C$ 1 billion ($ 731 million) in commercial loans for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, taking the total governmentbacked loan facility to C$ 19 billion, Trans Mountain's quarterly incomes declaration showed on Thursday.

The growth project, which has so far cost C$ 34 billion, almost triples capacity to ship oil from Alberta to Canada's. Pacific coast to 890,000 barrels each day. It began commercial. operations on May 1 after years of hold-up.

While the oil industry in Canada, the world's. fourth-largest manufacturer, has invited expanded access to. overseas markets, challengers of the task are important of the. expense to Canadian taxpayers and its ecological effect.

We've essentially composed a blank cheque to this. task, stated Keith Stewart, senior energy strategist at. Greenpeace Canada. This money could have been so much better. invested leaving oil and battling climate change.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government purchased. Trans Mountain from Kinder Morgan Inc in 2018 to ensure. the expansion went ahead but in 2022, as expenses skyrocketed, stated it. would no longer finance the task with public cash.

However, the government did supply a loan warranty to. Trans Mountain Corp (TMC), which helped the crown corporation. secure a C$ 10 billion credit arrangement with a syndicate of. commercial loan providers.

The credit offered to TMC from the syndicate increased to. C$ 19 billion on May 17 and the maturity date was reached. August 2026, TMC stated in its first-quarter results declaration.

At the end of 2023, TMC had overall readily available credit of C$ 18. billion that developed in March 2025 but said extra financing. was needed, which resulted in material unpredictability that cast. substantial doubt on TMC's ability to continue as a going. concern.

The increase to the center included a corresponding. increase to the assurance offered from the Government of. Canada, TMC's declaration said.

TMC has not revealed the interest rate on the commercial. loans but its financial statement revealed interest expenditures. leapt 431% to C$ 143 million in the first quarter of 2024, up. from $27 million in the very same period a year previously.

The corporation stated the increase was partly due to. higher rates of interest on its syndicated center.

(source: Reuters)