Vancouver mayor’s national profile on the rise in pipeline debate
VANCOUVER — The ever-simmering world of pipeline politics is once again threatening to boil over after the federal government approved the Trans Mountain project, as both backers and critics of the polarizing proposal mobilize for what many predict will be a fierce and lengthy battle.
While a litany of local politicians, First Nations and environmental groups have come out in opposition to Trans Mountain, some observers predict Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson will emerge as a key figure in the fight to block the $6.8-billion initiative.
The Kinder Morgan project involves expanding an existing pipeline between Edmonton and Burnaby, a city that borders Vancouver. The move would triple the line’s capacity and lead to a sevenfold increase in tanker traffic along a heavily populated section of the B.C. coast.
Karen Mahon, national director of Stand.Earth, said Robertson’s business background and green credentials add valuable credibility to a cause some dismiss as ideological.