A former Mayor of Kamloops says the city will continue to suffer with delays to the Trans Mountain expansion project.

Peter Milobar, now the Kamloops North Thompson MLA, says there is no doubt the project will bring all sorts of benefits to the area.

“Municipally of course, there is the taxation that would flow from this to a great many governments. There’s also the community agreements that the company has signed for various projects and communities, but then there’s the employment and there’s the spin off jobs and the spin off economic benefits,” he said.

“Most people in the area understand that this is a much safer way to transport a fluid than a rail lines or truck routes which go on the same basic water courses as the pipeline does.”

Milobar is of the belief that the delays to the pipeline is negatively impacting B.C. residents.

“We’re seeing gas prices shoot through the roof, and although the second pipeline would not be for refined product, it definitely would potentially free up more volume space that its currently taking up in the existing pipeline, so you’d get some of that refined product to market so that we can see a relief at our gas pumps.”

Over 357 km of the pipeline will pass through TNRD boundaries, while another 28 km will be within the City of Kamloops.