B.C. First Nations take Crown to court over Trans Mountain pipeline approval
VANCOUVER — Opposition is mounting against the proposed expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline as three First Nations launch fresh legal challenges aimed at stymying a project they say was approved without proper consultation.
Representatives from the coastal Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish nations, as well as the Coldwater Indian Band near Merritt in B.C.’s Interior, told reporters Tuesday that the federal government failed to meaningfully include them in the planning and review process before approving Kinder Morgan Canada’s $6.8-billion project.
The controversial expansion would run from near Edmonton, through Kamloops to Burnaby, and would triple the existing pipeline’s capacity. It is also expected to increase tanker traffic seven-fold within the densely populated Burrard Inlet.