Video simulations developed by the David Suzuki Foundation show that all five provinces bordering the Gulf of St. Lawrence could be affected in the case of an oil spill.
Each simulation illustrates what could happen if an spill of approximately 10,000 barrels of oil per day took place over a 10-day period in various seasons. The model demonstrates the direction of the flow of oil emanating from an instant or continuous spill. Forecasts indicate the location and concentration of surface and underground oil over time.
“The results of these simulations strengthen our demand for a moratorium on gas and oil exploration and drilling throughout the Gulf of St. Lawrence,” said Karel Mayrand, director-general of the David Suzuki Foundation in Quebec. “It has become even more obvious that one province alone should not be allowed to exploit this resource without consulting every province that would suffer the risks associated with these projects. We’re appealing to the federal government and the governments of the affected provinces to come up with an integrated gulf management plan.”