Image Credit: CFJC Today / Kent Simmonds

By Jill Sperling

Trans Mountain

Kamloops pipeline proponents eager to see work begin on Trans Mountain expansion

Jun 18, 2019 | 4:49 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion has been approved for a second time. Proponents of the project are thrilled with its approval.

Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Peter Milobar says it’s good news for the entire country, especially the North Thompson, which has seen numerous mill closures in recent weeks.

“This will be a ray of hope for a lot of people in those communities,” Milobar said. “It’s time for the premier and the environment minister to get on board with this project and to actually stop trying to fight things in the courts.”

The expansion was first proposed in 2012. An application for the project was made to the National Energy Board in December 2013.

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From the very beginning, environmentalists have opposed the project.

“Which side will win? I think that question has already been answered,” said local environmentalist Tony Brumell. “I don’t think we can recover from this kind of thing. It seems that only money talks and when you consider what the House of Commons did yesterday, why bother declaring a climate emergency if you’re simply going to emasculate it 24 hours later?”

Image Credit: CFJC Today / Kent Simmonds

The federal government first approved the expansion in November 2016.

Numerous communities along the pipeline route, including Kamloops, signed community benefit agreements.

“Kamloops is one of the largest cities as you look at the reach between Edmonton and Burnaby,” said Kamloops Mayor Ken Christian. “We’re in the middle and at 100,000 people a significant player in this. But, most importantly, I believe this is good for the citizens of Kamloops and we want to get on with it, we’ve got a lay down yard already here that’s been sitting kind of dormant for 18 months.”

All work on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion came to a stop last summer after the Federal Court of Appeal overturned the approval of the project.

The decision resulted in a new round of consultations with Indigenous communities.

“Obviously, not everyone is always going to agree on a project,” Milobar said, “that will be the case again, I’m sure. But, when you have over 40 First Nations that are on board, when you see even just locally one or two different First Nations groups all trying to get an equity stake in this project, I think it speaks volumes about the consensus that’s around this project.”

Image Credit: CFJC Today / Kent Simmonds

The federal government is promising to invest every dollar in federal revenue into clean energy.

It’s also opening up the door to Indigenous communities seeking an equity stake in the pipeline.

“We’re in a position to put a package together to say that we want 51 per cent,” said Shane Gottfriedson, former Tk’emlups chief and B.C. director for Project Reconciliation. “We’ve had some really great deliberations with the federal government and we want to continue to look at advancing Project Reconciliation and build unity amongst our nations.”

No date has been set for construction to begin, but Trudeau says shovels will be in the ground this construction season.