The proposed expansion of the Kinder Morgan Canada Trans Mountain pipeline is in the news this week as the B.C. government announced plans to ban increased shipments of diluted bitumen off its coast while a scientific advisory panel examines the scientific uncertainties related to how bitumen interacts with waterways and wildlife.
Prof. Todd Gillis, along with post-doctoral researcher Sarah Alderman, has conducted a series of studies investigating the impact diluted bitumen can have on salmon and discovered that exposure at levels similar to a pipeline leak significantly hinders swimming, causes salmon hearts to stiffen, and damages fish muscles and kidneys. Gillis says there are many challenges to understanding the environmental impact of a spill on the aquatic environment. One of the biggest challenges with diluted bitumen is that it can sink and persist in the environment for years. This means a spill is more difficult to clean up and can potentially be more destructive to natural habitats.
Gillis is a professor in the College of Biological Science and is an expert in fish biology.
He is available for media interviews.
Prof. Todd Gillis
tgillis@uoguelph.ca