Unplanned shutdown of Imperial pipeline affects delivery of fuel to Winnipeg

The Manitoba government says it's taking measures to mitigate potential impact to the province's economy after Imperial Oil Ltd. announced it has temporarily shut down a pipeline that supplies gasoline, diesel and jet fuel to Winnipeg and the surrounding area.

WINNIPEG -- The Manitoba government says it's taking measures to mitigate potential impact to the province's economy after Imperial Oil Ltd. announced it has temporarily shut down a pipeline that supplies gasoline, diesel and jet fuel to Winnipeg and the surrounding area.

The province says in a news release that the line runs between Gretna, Man., at the U.S. border, and Winnipeg, and it says the decision by Imperial to shut it for repairs followed "proactive pipeline inspections" that identified "integrity concerns" in a section of pipe just south of St. Adolphe, Man.

The news release says the line was not compromised and no materials were spilled into the environment.

Imperial says in a separate news release that "unplanned maintenance" work includes replacing a section of the pipeline that runs under the Red River south of Winnipeg.

It says that as a result of the work, the line will be out of service for approximately three months.

The province says it has convened a "supplier table" comprised of Manitoba's largest fuel suppliers to help support the management of the fuel supply being brought into the province.

"These industry partners are leveraging extensive supply networks and actively working to minimize customer and end-user impacts by maintaining Manitoba's fuel supply through other means including rail and truck," the province's release late Sunday afternoon stated.