Kinder Morgan pipeline approval no surprise to Christy Clark

Dec 1 2016, 1:55 am

BC Premier Christy Clark says she always knew Justin Trudeau was likely to approve Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline expansion through Burnaby Mountain.

Speaking to reporters a day after the approval was announced, Clark said she was not taken by surprise by his decision – or the 157 conditions which must still be met.

The pipeline expansion will create construction jobs – real jobs for a lot of people – and will lead to benefits in the long-term, she said.

Clark said she hopes that once construction of the expansion project is done, those construction workers will move on to other jobs in LNG or the pipeline.

‘Emergency’ protest draws hundreds

The pipeline expansion is intended to increase the capacity of the existing pipeline from 300,000 barrels per day to 890,000 barrels per day.

But given the fact that it would plough through a big chunk of the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area, the plan has proven extremely controversial over recent years.

Only hours after Trudeau’s announcement approving the project on Tuesday, hundreds of protestors gathered in Vancouver for an “emergency” rally against it.

And Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson has also come out fighting, saying he was profoundly disappointed with Trudeau’s decision.

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BC focusing on 5 conditions

Despite the federal government’s approval of the controversial project, the province is sticking by its demand that the pipeline project meet five conditions before commencing:

  • Successful completion of the environmental review process;
  • World-leading marine oil spill response, prevention and recovery systems for B.C.’s coastline and ocean to manage and mitigate the risks and costs of heavy oil pipelines and shipments;
  • World-leading practices for land oil spill prevention, response and recovery systems to manage and mitigate the risks and costs of heavy oil pipelines;
  • Legal requirements regarding Aboriginal and treaty rights are addressed, and First Nations are provided with the opportunities, information and resources necessary to participate in and benefit from a heavy-oil project; and
  • British Columbia receives a fair share of the fiscal and economic benefits of a proposed heavy oil project that reflects the level, degree and nature of the risk borne by the province, the environment and taxpayers.

“We want to make sure we get a fair benefit,” Clark told reporters on Wednesday. “My job is to make sure [the decision] meets the five conditions.”

DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff

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