We monitor our pipelines 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including regular analysis of our pipelines by a highly qualified team of engineers. We perform aerial and ground surveillance and other activities to ensure our pipelines are operating safely for both the public and the environment. We share responsibility for pipeline safety with our neighbours, including other companies operating pipelines and utilities in the area, and those living and working near TNPI pipelines.
Call before you dig
Third-party activities are among the leading cause of pipeline incidents. If you‘re planning to dig – for any reason – call your local One Call number first. The One Call operator will ask where you plan to excavate and then will notify all utilities – including power, phone , gas, cable and pipeline companies – who will mark the location of their underground utilities, free of charge. We encourage those living and working near pipelines to know what to look for when it comes to identifying a pipeline including:
- signs or right-of-way markers
- evidence of buried utilities
- a cleared swatch through a forested area
We also advise that you look out for vandalism or suspicious behavior and to notify TNPI, if you suspect a pipeline is nearby. If you want to verify whether there is a pipeline in your area, you can also check with local residents or the municipality. If you are contemplating digging or other ground work within 30-metres of our pipeline right-of-way, you are required by law to contact TNPI and obtain approval before starting work (Canadian Energy Regulator Act for Ontario and Quebec and the Alberta Energy Regulator). Written approval or a permit is required for many activities, including:
- Underground utility cabling/piping or pole installations/replacements
- Fencing
- Paving and landscaping
- Blasting
- Soil removal and excavation
- Crossing the right-of-way with heavy equipment (backhoes, graders, tractors, dump trucks)
- Installing in-ground or above-ground swimming pools within the 30 metre zone
- Planting trees and shrubs
- Installation of drainage or irrigation systems
- Hydrovacing
- Working within a 30 metre proximity of a pipeline
- Encroaching on a right-of-way
Calling your provincial One Call centre will make certain you are connected with the right people. If you plan on working near our pipeline we will contact you to arrange the locate within a minimum of three working days, and will verify that the work can be done safely. If a permit/crossing, proximity or encroachment agreement is required, we will respond to your application within 10 working days and issue the permit as soon as practical. Depending on the type of work, our inspector will be there to confirm safety issues are addressed during construction.
Everyone’s safety starts with:
- Calling before you dig
- Waiting the required amount of time
- Respecting the signs markers and TNPI instructions
- Digging with care
Damage prevention is a shared responsibility.
To contact us about planning a project, or to obtain a permit/crossing agreement: In Alberta: 403-476-1641 or 403-476-1644 In Ontario and Quebec: 289-475-5369 or 289-475-5366 Once a permit is issued, it will be necessary for us to mark the pipeline and right-of-way limits on the ground before work begins. Our Field Services Inspector will visit the worksite to ensure our pipeline is clearly marked in the area where you will be working. Early cooperation helps to build safe communities, maintain the integrity of our pipeline and foster mutually compatible development for the future.
To dispatch our Inspection Department, please contact:
